1. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
LN (UN) (WHO) 1948
Preamble Draft of the WHO Constitution March- April 1946
Health is a state of physical fitness and of mental and social well-
being, not only the absence of infirmity and disease.
WHO Constitution April 7, 1948
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

2. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
LN (UN) (WHO) 1948
Preamble Draft of the WHO Constitution March- April 1946
Healthy development of the child toward world citizenship is of
paramount importance.
WHO Constitution April 7, 1948
Healthy development of the child is of basic importance; the ability to
live harmoniously in a changing total environment is essential to
such development.

3. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
LN (UN) (WHO) 1948
Preamble Draft of the WHO Constitution March- April 1946
Health is an essential factor in the attainment of security and well-
being for individuals and States.
WHO Constitution April 7, 1948
The health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace
and security and is dependent upon the fullest co-operation of
individuals and States.

4. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
LN (UN) (WHO) 1948
Preamble Draft of the WHO Constitution March- April 1946
Health is a dynamic state of complete physical, mental, spiritual and
social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
WHO Constitution April 7, 1948
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

5. ‘Highest attainable standard of health’
Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
LN (UN) (WHO) 1948
Preamble Draft of the WHO Constitution March- April 1946
WHO Constitution April 7, 1948
Main difference between draft of texts:
‘Right to Health’
‘Highest attainable standard of health’

6. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
LN (UN) (WHO) 1948
Preamble Draft of the WHO Constitution March- April 1946
The right to health is one of the fundamental rights to which every
human being is entitled, without distinction of race, religion, political
belief, economic or social condition
WHO Constitution April 7, 1948
The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of
the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of
race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition

7. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
WHO Constitution – Final Version
THE STATES Parties to this Constitution declare, in conformity
with the Charter of the United Nations, that the following
principles are basic to the happiness, harmonious relations and
security of all peoples:

8. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
WHO Constitution
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

9. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
WHO Constitution
The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of
the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of
race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.

10. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
WHO Constitution
The health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace
and security and is dependent upon the fullest co-operation of
individuals and States.

11. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
WHO Constitution
The achievement of any State in the promotion and protection of
health is of value to all.

12. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
WHO Constitution
Unequal development in different countries in the promotion of
health and control of disease, especially communicable disease, is a
common danger.

13. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
WHO Constitution
Healthy development of the child is of basic importance; the ability to
live harmoniously in a changing total environment is essential to
such development.

14. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
WHO Constitution
The extension to all peoples of the benefits of medical, psychological
and related knowledge is essential to the fullest attainment of health.

15. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
WHO Constitution
Informed opinion and active co-operation on the part of the public are
of the utmost importance in the improvement of the health of the
people.

16. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
WHO Constitution
Governments have a responsibility for the health of their peoples
which can be fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and
social measures.

17. Evolution of the Right to Health
Development of International Health Organizations
Formulation of Health as a Human Right
WHO Constitution
ACCEPTING THESE PRINCIPLES, and for the purpose of co-
operation among themselves and with others to promote and protect
the health of all peoples, the Contracting Parties agree to the present
Constitution and hereby establish the World Health Organization as a
specialized agency within the terms of Article 57 of the Charter of the
United Nations.

18. Legal Effect – WHO Constitution
Evolution of the Right to Health
Legal Effect – WHO Constitution
Constitutions of international organizations, and therefore also the Constitution of the WHO, are multilateral treaties according to public international law.
The Constitution of the WHO is therefore binding upon States that are a party to the WHO.
State parties will accordingly have to comply with the international “right to health” as set forth in the preamble to the WHO Constitution.

19. Legal Effect – WHO Constitution
Evolution of the Right to Health
Legal Effect – WHO Constitution
The WHO is the most prominent international organization in the field of health.
(a). The functions of the WHO are performed by the World Health Assembly (WHA).
(b). WHA has the authority to adopt conventions, regulations and recommendations.
(c). Each Member State is required to report annually to the
WHO-WHA on the action taken and the progress achieved in improving the health of its people.

20. Legal Effect – WHO Constitution
Evolution of the Right to Health
Legal Effect – WHO Constitution
WHO has six core functions, as follows:
Advocating evidence-based policy
Managing information
Catalyzing change through technical and policy support
Building national and global partnerships
Developing norms and standards
Developing new technologies tools and guidelines.

21. WHO Study: Evolution of the Right to Health
Diarrhoeal diseases reduce by 46%
Perinatal conditions reduce by 60%
Unipolar depression increase by 40%
Road traffic accidents increase by 88%
Ischaemic heart disease increase by 44%
Violence increase by 109%.

22. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
International Conference on Primary Health Care,
Alma-Ata, USSR, September 1978
Organized by WHO and UNICEF

23. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
Declaration stated that Primary Health Care ‘would be the key to attaining health for all by the year 2000’.
The Declaration expressed the responsibility of Governments for the health of their people.

24. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
“Primary Health Care” is to be considered ‘essential health care which is to be made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community in ways acceptable to them, through their full participation and at a cost that the community can afford.”

25. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata I.
The Conference strongly reaffirms that health, which is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, is a fundamental human right and that the attainment of the highest possible level of health is a most important world-wide social goal whose realization requires the action of many other social and economic sectors in addition to the health sector.

26. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
II.
The existing gross inequality in the health status of the people particularly between developed and developing countries as well as within countries, is politically, socially and economically unacceptable, and is, therefore, of common concern to all countries.

27. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
III.
Economic and social development, based on a New International Economic Order, is of basic importance to the fullest attainment of health for all and to the reduction of the gap between the health status of the developing and developed countries. The promotion and protection of the health of the people is essential to sustained economic and social development and contributes to a better quality of life and to world peace.

28. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
IV.
The people have the right and duty to participate individually and collectively in the planning and implementation of their health care.

29. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata V.
Governments have a responsibility for the health of their people which can be fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and social measures. A main social target of governments, international organizations and the whole world community in the coming decades should be the attainment by all peoples of the world by the year 2000 of a level of health that will permit them to lead a socially and economically productive life. Primary health care is the key to attaining this target as part of development in the spirit of social justice.

30. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
VI.
Primary health care is essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at a cost that the community and country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self reliance and self-determination. It forms an integral part both of the country's health system, of which it is the central function and main focus, and of the overall social and economic
development of the community. It is the first level of contact of individuals, the family and community with the national health system bringing health care as close as possible to where people live and work, and constitutes the first element of a continuing health care process

31. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
VII.
Primary health care:
(1). reflects and evolves from the economic conditions and sociocultural and political characteristics of the country and its communities and is based on the application of the relevant results of social, biomedical and health services research and public health experience;

32. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
VII.
Primary health care:
(2). addresses the main health problems in the community, providing promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services accordingly;

33. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
VII.
Primary health care:
(3). includes at least: education concerning prevailing health problems and the methods of preventing and controlling them; promotion of food supply and proper nutrition; an adequate supply of safe water and basic sanitation; maternal and child health care, including family planning; immunization against the major infectious diseases; prevention and control of locally endemic diseases; appropriate treatment of common diseases and injuries; and provision of essential drugs;

34. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
VII.
Primary health care:
(4). involves, in addition to the health sector, all related sectors and aspects of national and community development, in particular agriculture, animal husbandry, food, industry, education, housing, public works, communications and other sectors; and demands the coordinated efforts of all those sectors;

35. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
VII.
Primary health care:
(5). requires and promotes maximum community and individual self-reliance and participation in the planning, organization, operation and control of primary health care, making fullest use of local, national and other available resources; and to this end develops through appropriate education the ability of communities to participate;

36. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
VII.
Primary health care:
(6). should be sustained by integrated, functional and mutually supportive referral systems, leading to the progressive improvement of comprehensive health care for all, and giving priority to those most in need;

37. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
VII.
Primary health care:
(7). relies, at local and referral levels, on health workers, including physicians, nurses, midwives, auxiliaries and community workers as applicable, as well as traditional practitioners as needed, suitably trained socially and technically to work as a health team and to respond to the expressed health needs of the community.

38. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
VIII.
All governments should formulate national policies, strategies and plans of action to launch and sustain primary health care as part of a comprehensive national health system and in coordination with other sectors. To this end, it will be necessary to exercise political will, to mobilize the country's resources and to use available external resources rationally.

39. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata
IX.
All countries should cooperate in a spirit of partnership and service to ensure primary health care for all people since the attainment of health by people in any one country directly concerns and benefits every other country. In this context the joint WHO/UNICEF report on primary health care constitutes a solid basis for the further development and operation of primary health care throughout the world.

40. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata X.
An acceptable level of health for all the people of the world by the year 2000 can be attained through a fuller and better use of the world's resources, a considerable part of which is now spent on armaments and military conflicts.
A genuine policy of independence, peace, détente and disarmament could and should release additional resources that could well be devoted to peaceful aims and in particular to the acceleration of social and economic development of which primary health care, as an essential part, should be allotted its proper share.

41. Declaration of Alma-Ata
Evolution of the Right to Health
WHO – “Primary Health Care”
Declaration of Alma-Ata X.
The International Conference on Primary Health Care calls for urgent and effective national and international action to develop and implement primary health care throughout the world and particularly in developing countries in a spirit of technical cooperation and in keeping with a New International Economic Order.

42. Evolution of the Right to Health?