Global Health and the Law

Abstract

Global Health can be defined as " an area for study, research, and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving health equity for all people worldwide " . 1 Article 25 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares that, " everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health of himself and of his family " . 2 Unfortunately, the health disparity between high-income and low-income countries, as well as between individuals within a country, often makes this impossible, leaving many people living in unhealthy settings without sufficient access to care. The field of global health is concerned with the health of populations worldwide, focusing on issues that typically have global, political, and economic significance. These health issues usually transcend national boundaries and are best solved through international collaboration. 3 Global health initiatives aim to improve the health and wellbeing of impoverished, vulnerable, and underserved people worldwide. 1 These initiatives include poverty reduction strategies, disease prevention measures (for HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, for instance), efforts to improve nutrition and food security, policy to raise environmental standards and living conditions, and the promotion of gender equality. In 2001, the Commission of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended to fund global health with 0.1% of GDP. 4 The average expenditure per capita for health in low-income countries is estimated at $ 20 per year while that of Western countries is estimated at $ 947. The target to be reached to help out the most disadvantaged countries is $ 44-60 per capita, which would ensure the populations of the poorest countries with the access to essential health services. Directing the 0.1% of the GDP of developed Western countries to the aids for global health would mean closing the gap to reach the target base of $ 44-60 that would allow the saving of 8 million lives a year. 4 Despite the good intentions, there is still a marked disparity between the current spending levels and the commitments made by developed countries in a context in which, among other things, the percentage of aid for global health has been in decline for almost all donor countries.