The Country Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) Nigeria, Dr. Walter Molumbo said depriving individuals health should be treated as a human rights violation.
Dr. Molumbo said this in Abuja during a health walk organized by the WHO Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to commemorate the 2024 World Health Day.
The event tagged “Walk the Talk” aimed to promote physical activity, well-being, and a healthy lifestyle among WHO team members, partners and the general public as well as raise awareness on the importance of achieving Universal Health Coverage.
WHD is observed annually on 7 April as a global health awareness day, offering an opportunity to spotlight a specific health problem or issue deserving special attention worldwide.
The WHO said the theme for the 2024 WHD ‘My health, my right’, was chosen to advocate for the entitlement of individuals worldwide to access quality health services, education, and information.
Healthcare, a human right
Dr Molumbo said WHO was created 76 years ago by Member States based on the principle of human rights and based on the fact that health is a fundamental human right and it shouldn’t be a privilege.
“Today is an opportunity to remember that any health deprivation should be treated as human rights violation,” he said.
“A child missing vaccination is a human rights violation. A mother dying while giving birth is not acceptable and should be treated as human rights violation.”
Strengthening healthcare
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Kachollom Daju, said the ministry is working closely with the WHO to strengthen healthcare delivery in the country.
She said the ministry aim towards raising awareness about citizens’ rights to healthcare, and quality treatment, and this underscores the commitment to monitor health through a human rights lens.
“In the present administration of the renewed hope agenda, the health sector is being reinvigorated, it has been reengineered to ensure that we have Universal Health Coverage for all, starting from the Primary Health Care at the community level, all the way to the Tertiary level,” she said.