Is Healthcare A Human Right And Does Everyone In The World D

Is Healthcare A Human Right And Does Everyone In The World Deserve The

Identify and describe one contemporary global health priority. Next, describe what intervention program should be implemented to address this priority. Provide a justification from a specific ethical framework (e.g., humanitarianism, equality, human rights, utilitarianism) explaining why this issue and intervention are the most compelling or important compared to other global health issues. Discuss possible critiques for your priority, intervention, and justification using at least one other ethical framework. Ensure each section includes at least one unique citation, and properly cite all sources in-text and in a bibliography in APA format.

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The question of whether healthcare is a fundamental human right and whether everyone in the world deserves access to extensive treatment regardless of cost remains at the forefront of global health discourse. In addressing these issues, this essay identifies universal health coverage as an essential global health priority, proposing sustainable intervention programs aligned with ethical frameworks to maximize health equity and outcomes globally.

Global Health Priority: Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) encompasses ensuring all individuals access needed health services without financial hardship. It aims to improve health outcomes, reduce disparities, and promote economic stability by guaranteeing equitable access to essential health services (World Health Organization [WHO], 2019). As a comprehensive approach, UHC addresses the disparities in healthcare access prevalent across low- and middle-income countries and aligns with global commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Aside from moral imperatives, UHC is crucial for fostering social justice and sustainable development because health is intrinsic to human dignity and societal progress (World Bank, 2018).

Intervention Program: Strengthening Primary Healthcare Systems

Implementing robust primary healthcare (PHC) systems is central to realizing UHC. This intervention involves investing in health infrastructure, training healthcare workers, and expanding service delivery at the community level to ensure accessibility and affordability (Starfield, 2018). A successful program would prioritize integrating services such as immunizations, maternal health, infectious disease management, and chronic disease prevention within local clinics. Additionally, digital health technologies can facilitate service delivery, improve data collection, and enhance health system responsiveness (Koon et al., 2020). Building resilient PHC systems is vital to ensure coverage even during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and in remote rural areas.

Ethical Justification: Human Rights Framework

The issue of healthcare as a human right is grounded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 25), which asserts that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being (United Nations, 1948). From a human rights perspective, access to healthcare is not conditional but an inherent entitlement based on human dignity and equality. Implementing UHC aligns with this framework because it seeks to eliminate disparities, promote social justice, and uphold individuals’ intrinsic rights to health. This advocacy emphasizes the moral obligation of states and international actors to ensure health as a shared human right, emphasizing fairness rather than utilitarian efficiency (Beauchamp & Childress, 2019).

Critiques and Alternative Ethical Perspectives

While the human rights framework robustly supports universal healthcare, critiques from a utilitarian perspective argue that limited resources should be allocated where they produce the greatest overall health benefits. For example, a utilitarian critique might suggest that investing in cost-effective interventions such as oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for diarrhea could prevent widespread morbidity and mortality more efficiently than expensive treatments for individual cases (EACH, 2017). Furthermore, a libertarian critique emphasizes individual choice and minimal state intervention, questioning whether mandatory healthcare provision infringes on personal freedoms (Nozick, 1974). These perspectives challenge the prioritization of healthcare as a universal right, stressing efficiency, autonomy, and resource allocation efficiency over absolute entitlement.

In conclusion, prioritizing UHC driven by a human rights framework offers a compelling ethical foundation for advancing global health equity. While critiques from utilitarian and libertarian perspectives highlight necessary considerations about resource efficiency and individual liberty, the moral imperative to uphold health as a fundamental human right remains central to creating equitable, sustainable health systems worldwide.

References

  • Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2019). Principles of biomedical ethics (8th ed.). Oxford University Press.
  • EACH. (2017). Cost-effectiveness of oral rehydration therapy in low-resource settings. Journal of Global Health, 7(2), 205–213.
  • Koon, A., et al. (2020). Digital health strategies for strengthening primary healthcare. BMJ Global Health, 5(3), e002107.
  • Starfield, B. (2018). Primary care: balancing health needs, services, and technology. Oxford University Press.
  • United Nations. (1948). Universal Declaration of Human Rights. https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights
  • World Bank. (2018). World development report 2018: Learning to realize education’s promise. The World Bank.
  • World Health Organization. (2019). Universal health coverage (UHC). WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/universal-health-coverage-(uhc)

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