A right to health: A right granted and agreed, but limited or denied?

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book defines and explores that which some might say is beyond the bounds of definition or exploration. It identifies any common ground between the approaches adopted by the various jurisdictions, to identify obvious lacunae in the provisions that purport to grant a right to health, to identify the shortcomings in the implementation of those provisions, and to suggest ways in which the substantive, procedural, and political deficiencies relating to the right might be addressed. The book outlines the relationship between the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the right to health. It focuses on equity and inequity as ethical justifications for a right to health, considering the bulwarks against inequity contained in international human rights treaties/documents, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UNCESCR).