RIGHT TO HEALTH
6.3 In the course of the year, the country and the Commission suffered a great loss
in the passing away of Professor V. Ramalingaswamy. Professor N.H. Antia has since
then joined the Core Group, which has continued to make most valuable contribution
to the ideas and work of the Commission on issues relating to health as a human right.
A] Public Health and Human Rights
6.4 It will be recalled that, in the year 2000-2001, the Commission organised two
major gatherings on issues relating to Health and Human Rights. The first was a
Workshop on Maternal Anaemia, which was organised on 26-27 April 20p0 and the
second was a National Conference on Human Rights and HIV/AIDS, which was held
on 24-25 November 2000.
6.5 On 10-11 April 2001, the Commission organised the third of its major gatherings
on Public Health and Human Rights. The Regional Consultation was arranged in
collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the World Health
Organisation (WHO). Representatives of NGOs, public health experts and human
rights activists attended the Consultation, as did jurists, policy makers, scientists and
other interested members of civil society. The Consultation focused on three vital
issues concerning public health i.e. Access to Health Care, Tobacco Control and
Nutrition. The recommendations generated at the Consultation were considered and
adopted by the Commission and forwarded to the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare for further action. The major recommendations are listed below:
1)
General Recommendations:
• A State Public Health Regulatory Authority should be established in each of the
States as well as a National Public Health Advisory Body to regulate public health
practices and monitor the implementation of public health programmes.
• Capacity should be enhanced, at national and regional levels for inter
disciplinary learning and research on linkages between public health and
human rights to promote policy development and public health action. To this
end, partnerships should be promoted between academic/research institutions
ANNUAL REPORT 2001 -2002
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