What Is The Right To Health Essay

The perception of the word ‘Health’ can be understood from the Preamble of the 1946 Constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO) that defines ‘health’ as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. The Right to health is one of the important fundamental rights enshrined under Part III of the Constitution of India. The Indian Constitution, by imposing its Article 38 on State ensures well being of the people, which cannot be achieved without consideration of public health, incorporated under Part IV as Directive Principles of the State Policy. But whenever we discuss about the health of a child, then health becomes a very important issue, and has been expressly provided under various articles including Articles 39(e) & (f);

Article 45. Provision for early childhood care and education to children below the age of six years. – The State shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years ..

Article 47. Duty of the State to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living and to improve public health. –The State shall regard ther raising of the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties and, in particular, the State shall enndeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health.

Article 51A. Fundamental Duties - It shall be the duty of every citizen of India-

(k)- who is a parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to his child or, as the case may be, ward between the age of six and fourteen years