The Right to Health A Palestinian Vision

Photo by Shareef Sarhan. By Dr. Fathi Abumoghli The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or disability. The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being, without distinction as to race, religion, belief, or political, economic, or social status. Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” The Arab Charter for Human Rights, signed by ten Arab countries including Palestine, states: The States parties recognize the right of every member of society to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the right of the citizen to free basic health-care services and to have access to medical facilities without discrimination of any kind. (Article 39) The Palestinian Public Health Act of 2004 calls for the provision of governmental preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitative health services and the establishment of the relevant health institutions. In Palestine, the Israeli occupation and its barriers, fences, blockades, and aggressions prevent the exercise of the right to health for our people. The siege on Gaza has seriously infringed on people’s right to health and has resulted in limited access to services - damaged health facilities, scarcity of food, high unemployment rates. Our health indicators, although good, have not improved in the last ten years. The political situation plays a major role as the immediate emergent needs take priority over long-term development. Our vision for the Palestinian right to health should be on improving the quality of health services and the completion of the service delivery network, while ensuring the sustainability of these high-quality health services. It is important to mention that through the proposed compulsory health insurance law, the sustainability of health services will be guaranteed. In conclusion, although the occupation remains an obstacle to development in all its forms, including health development, and deprives the Palestinian people of their inalienable rights, including the right to health, we have been successful as a people. We must continue to work to end the occupation and to complete the construction of the health system that will serve our people and ensure their right to health in an independent Palestine. We must work to strengthen and activate laws such as the public health law and the law for the disabled. We must work to complete and pass other laws, such as the compulsory health insurance law and the anti-drug law. In this issue of This Week in Palestine, readers will find additional information provided by the Ministry of Health regarding the health reform initiatives currently in process, including those in the areas of improved service delivery and health financing through the compulsory health insurance system. Dr. Fathi Abumoghli has served as the minister of health since 2007. Over the last several years, Dr. Fathi has focused on improving the health system by building the capacity of the health care staff while striving to complete the service-delivery network. In addition, Dr. Fathi, through the proposed mandatory health insurance law, has been advocating for a sustainable health financing mechanism in Palestine. Prior to serving as minister of health, Dr. Fathi worked at the World Bank and the World Health Organization.