Access to Healthcare

Abstract

The starting point for this chapter is the understanding that access to healthcare is a universal right of all humans and cannot be reduced to an object of consumption that is only accessible to people with the economic capacity to acquire it. The theoretical reference point for this focus is UNESCO’s Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights, in its articles 10, 14, and 15, which deal, respectively, with “equality, justice, and equity,” “social responsibility and health,” and “sharing of benefits,” along with the interrelations and complementarity that exist between these principles. This chapter is presented with division into three topics. Firstly, the reasons for choosing human rights as the foundation for studies are discussed, and some theoretical reference points enabling better comprehension of the basis that sustains the ideas presented are developed. Following this, equity is presented as an indispensable principle that should be incorporated into the discussion, thus reinforcing the understanding that unequal people and populations should be treated in a compensatory manner, with the aim of seeking true equality based on the humanitarian disposition of recognizing every individual’s rights starting from their needs and differences. Lastly, this chapter seeks to address the difficult problem of prioritizing the allocation of scarce resources so that access to healthcare is enabled for as many people as possible. This entry therefore intends to show that access to healthcare for all people, independent of their income level, should be considered to be a human right and that going beyond the obligations of governments and the private sector to support inclusive programs, the struggle of social movements towards better living and health conditions for all people without distinction should also be considered to be legitimate.