New data from the World Health Organization reveals that many governments’ public funding of health care falls short of what is needed to meet their human rights obligations.
The vast majority of people live in countries where low public funding undermines their access to health care. Sometimes this is due to major constraints like war and debt, but often governments just don’t prioritize it.
Governments should ensure that everyone can achieve their right to health by reducing reliance on regressive sources of financing. Wealthier governments should support appropriate tax reforms and provide debt restructuring or relief when necessary.
(Geneva) – New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that many governments’ public funding of health care falls short of what is needed to meet their human rights obligations, Human Rights Watch said today.
Most people have little access to even healthcare services considered most “essential” by the United Nations. As global health systems worldwide recoil from the United States’ sudden termination of much foreign aid and assistance, richer governments should consider debt restructuring or relief that, along with appropriate tax reforms, can help improve resourcing of public health care.
