Ensure every person’s right to health: NHRC

Kathmandu, April 5

The National Human Rights Commission has urged the government to ensure every person’s right to health amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the NHRC, patients of kidney diseases, cancer, tuberculosis, HIV- AIDS, diabetes, high blood pressure and mental diseases have been deprived of proper treatment and are facing shortage of medicines as per the complaints received by the NHRC’s monitoring team.

The NHRC said its attention was also drawn to the recent reports that a woman lost her life due to lack of timely treatment at Biratnagar-based Neuro Hospital, Kathmandu-based hospitals like Summit, Civil and Norvic closing their OPD services and sending back patients, people not being able to avail ambulance services and house-owners forcing health workers to leave rented rooms.

The HNRC said it wanted to be convinced about the security of all health workers, availability of personal protective equipment and other safety equipment for health workers, ambulance drivers and security personnel so that they could deliver their services effectively.

“The commission appeals to the Government of Nepal to ensure people’s right to enjoy all kinds of health services, including essential health services as ensured by the Article 35 of the Constitution of Nepal; Section 2 (1), 3 (1), 4 of the Public Health Service Act 2018, Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966, to which Nepal is a state party,” the NHRC said in a statement issued today.

“Thus, in this complex situation, the commission makes special request to the Government of Nepal, all health workers and health institutions to ensure every person’s right to health and management of health treatment for all patients suffering from serious kinds of diseases.”

A version of this article appears in e-paper on April 06, 2020 of the Himalayan Times.