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Mr John Menadue, AO
Health as a Human Right: The Need for Whole of Government Action
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“It is my aspiration that health will finally be seen not as a
blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for.”
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan (2002)
The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is a
fundamental right of every human being. Many people take their health
for granted. Some population groups have poor health outcomes and
require specific attention; a glaring example is the poor health
experienced by Aboriginal people.
Health is intimately linked to the social, economic and physical
environments in which people live and work. These are commonly
referred as the social determinants of health and there is an
extensive and growing evidence base on the link between these factors
and health outcomes.
In order to impact on population health outcomes it is essential for a
whole of government approach, linking a range of interrelated
portfolios such as justice, education, human services, transport,
environment and economic development.
The establishment of joint planning and service development approaches
is required and early intervention and prevention are critical
components for successful whole of government strategies.
Collaborative approaches to early childhood intervention have been
shown to be successful in improving the long-term health, social and
economic prospects for children at risk.
Early intervention for health is not just about disease, it is about
wellbeing. For example the importance of ‘healthy communities’ in the
broadest sense can also impact positively on health outcomes,
particularly mental health. Strategies that seek to improve community
capacity and ‘connectedness’ also impact positively on crime
prevention. |
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