Promote health for all—Ministry
Ministry of Health has called for collaboration in promoting the right to health for all and champion the fundamental right to quality health services for all citizens.
Ministry of Health Principal Secretary Samson Mndolo said this on Saturday during the commemoration of World Health Day under the theme ‘My health, my right’.
He said: “The theme was chosen to champion the right of everyone to have access to quality health services, education and information.
“It promotes availability and use of safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working environment and freedom from discrimination.”
Mndolo has since called on the public to know their health rights which include the right to safe and quality care without any discrimination, privacy and confidentiality of health information, information about treatment and the right to informed consent, bodily autonomy and integrity.
The ministry has further encouraged the public to strive to stay healthy at all times by seeking prompt medical attention every time they feel sick, doing regular physical activity, drinking enough water every day, getting vaccinated against preventable diseases and eating a variety of foods from the six food groups every day.
Health as a human right is recognised in the World Health Organisation (WHO) Constitution of 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 and many international and regional human rights treaties.
In her message on the day, which also marks the closing of WHO’s 75th Anniversary, WHO regional director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti hailed how public health successes have improved the quality of life of populations during the last seven decades and summoned the energy to tackle the health challenges of the next 75 years.
She said: “We have made significant progress in ensuring better health outcomes for our people over the past decade. More mothers and children are surviving today than before.”
WHO statistics indicate that from 2000 to 2020, the life expectancy of African women increased from 54 to 67 years; the maternal mortality ratio decreased by 33 percent, from 788 to 531 maternal deaths per 100 000 lives, and the number of children dying before the age of five was reduced by 50 percent from 2000 to 2017.
Between 2011 and 2021, the number of new HIV infections and Aids-related deaths decreased by 44 percent and 55 percent, respectively, across Africa, and the number of TB deaths decreased by 26 percent.
In addition, several diseases are on the verge of eradication and elimination, including polio, guinea worm, as well as maternal and neonatal tetanus.
The day, set aside by WHO, was founded in 1948 to reflect on various issues concerning people’s health.
