Effectuation of right to health and its relationship to social justice

Abstract

Thinking of health as a universal right is a complex task, given the inequalities in accessing decent living conditions. In this sense, this paper aims to discuss the effectuation of right to health, since this right is central to the pursuit of social justice. This is a reflection based on an extensive review of the literature, which involved references related to the right to health and to several fields of legal doctrine (human rights, social rights, Constitutional Law and Economic Law), due to their relevance to the matter. It was shown that despite the advances in realization of social rights in Brazil, there remains much to be done, particularly in times of economic crisis, as budget cuts directly affect social policies, which penalize the most vulnerable citizens and those in the most adverse situations. The right to health is entirely connected to the human development and training and quality of life among people and communities; non-compliance of this right goes further of Brazilian National Public Health System implementation. Thus, the effectuation of the right to heath is an instrument of social justice, as it not only leads to the realization of other rights, but requires the rethinking of long-rooted structures and behaviors, leading to the establishment of new relations among powers, promoting social inclusion.