Health

  Health

The Constitution of WHO (1946) states that good health is a state of complete physical, social and mental well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Health is a resource for everyday life, not the object of living, and is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources as well as physical capabilities. Health is a fundamental human right, recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). It is also an essential component of development, vital to a nation's economic growth and internal stability. Along with the traditional and unequivocal arguments on social justice and the importance of health, it is now accepted that better health outcomes play a crucial role in reducing poverty. There is also increased understanding of how health fits into a wider cross-sectoral, cross-border and globalized framework. Four key values guide efforts to address health issues:

• Recognition of the universal right to health
• Continued application of health ethics to policy, research and service provision
• Implementation of equity orientated policies and strategies that emphasize solidarity
• Incorporation of a gender perspective into health policies.

Health ethics involves a process of systematic and continuous reflection on the norms and values which should guide decisions about health care at the personal, institutional, or societal level, and by which the outcomes of such decisions may be judged.