Mr. P.C. Sharma, Member, NHRC spoke on 'Right to Health - A Human Right' at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh on the 25th April. He said that the right to health does not mean access to health care and building of hospitals alone, it also includes a wide range of factors like freedom from non-consensual medical treatment, safe food, safe drinking water, adequate sanitation, health-related education, non-discrimination and gender equality. Though people lived longer, and led more healthy lives, a lot still needs to be done in primary health care, which is the need of the hour. Describing human dignity as the most fundamental tenet of human rights, Mr. Sharma said that it could not be fostered without ensuring standards of health that were universally attainable and easily accessible. In this context he made these points:
· The right to a system of health protection to all;
· The right to prevention, treatment and control of diseases;
· Equal and timely access to essential medicines and basic health services;
· Launching of a primary health care movement;
· Removal of inequality due to health and poverty;
· Increasing public health expenditure which is far below the recommended expenditure of 6.5 per cent of the GDP;
· Raising the bar of professionalism among medical fraternity etc.
Mr. Sharma recalled NHRC's proactive role on healthcare and referred to its recommendations for the protection of the human rights of mentally challenged persons, patients of HIV/AIDS and issues concerning illegal trade in human organs, silicosis, maternal anaemia, female foeticide, fluorosis and the emergency medical care system.