with HIV/AIDS. Accessibility also implies that medical services
and underlying determinants of health, such as safe and potable
water and adequate sanitation facilities, are within safe physical
reach, including in rural areas. Accessibility further includes
adequate access to buildings for persons with disabilities.
Economic accessibility (affordability): health facilities, goods
and services must be affordable for all. Payment for health-care
services, as well as services related to the underlying
determinants of health, has to be based on the principle of equity,
ensuring that these services, whether privately or publicly
provided, are affordable for all, including socially disadvantaged
groups. Equity demands that poorer households should not be
disproportionately burdened with health expenses as compared
to richer households.
Information accessibility: accessibility includes the right to seek,
receive and impart information and ideas concerning health
issues. However, accessibility of information should not impair
the right to have personal health data treated with
confidentiality.
(c) Acceptability. All health facilities, goods and services must be
respectful of medical ethics and culturally appropriate, i.e.
respectful of the culture of individuals, minorities, peoples and
communities, sensitive to gender and life-cycle requirements, as
well as being designed to respect confidentiality and improve the
health status of those concerned.
(d) Quality. As well as being culturally acceptable, health
facilities, goods and services must also be scientifically and
medically appropriate and of good quality. This requires, inter
alia, skilled medical personnel, scientifically approved and
unexpired drugs and hospital equipment, safe and potable water,
and adequate sanitation.
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36. The obligation to fulfil requires States parties, inter alia, to
give sufficient recognition to the right to health in the national
W.P.(C) 7279/2013
Page 25 of 41
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