WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Does the constitution explicitly guarantee an approach to non-citizens’ right to health?

The right to health is considered to be protected for non-citizens when the following are explicitly granted to non-citizens or are granted in general and the constitution states that foreign citizens enjoy rights on an equal basis as citizens: a less broad protection of public health, the right to health, the right to healthcare services, the right to public health, the right to medical care, the right to free preventive health services, the right to free medical care, and the right to free health care services.

Health rights are explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted means the constitution explicitly reserves health rights for citizens or permits restrictions on the right to health for non-citizens. For example, the constitution may state that foreign citizens enjoy all rights except those reserved for citizens and separately state that citizens enjoy the right to health.

No specific provision means that the constitution does not explicitly mention the right to health. This does not mean that the constitution denies this right, but that it does not explicitly include it.

Right guaranteed using citizenship language means that the constitution protects the right to health in authoritative language, but uses the word “citizen” instead of “person” to guarantee the right. For example, constitutions in this category might guarantee that citizens have the right to health. This language may be interpreted to exclude non-citizens from the right to health.

Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens means that the constitution guarantees the work rights to “everyone”, but does not specifically protect non-citizens’ right to health.

Guaranteed for non-citizens means that the constitution guarantees the right to health for foreign citizens in authoritative language. For example, constitutions in this category might guarantee free medical care regardless of citizenship or guarantee that foreign citizens enjoy the same rights as citizens, including the right to health.

Countries

Albania - Health rights are explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Bulgaria - Health rights are explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Cabo Verde - Health rights are explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Mongolia - Health rights are explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Portugal - Health rights are explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Slovakia - Health rights are explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Antigua and Barbuda - No specific provision

Argentina - No specific provision

Australia - No specific provision

Austria - No specific provision

Bahamas - No specific provision

Bangladesh - No specific provision

Barbados - No specific provision

Belize - No specific provision

Bhutan - No specific provision

Botswana - No specific provision

Brunei - No specific provision

Cameroon - No specific provision

Canada - No specific provision

Chad - No specific provision

China - No specific provision

Democratic Republic of the Congo - No specific provision

Republic of the Congo - No specific provision

Costa Rica - No specific provision

Cyprus - No specific provision

Denmark - No specific provision

Djibouti - No specific provision

Dominica - No specific provision

Equatorial Guinea - No specific provision

Eritrea - No specific provision

Ethiopia - No specific provision

Gabon - No specific provision

The Gambia - No specific provision

Germany - No specific provision

Ghana - No specific provision

Greenland - No specific provision

Grenada - No specific provision

Guinea-Bissau - No specific provision

Guyana - No specific provision

Iceland - No specific provision

India - No specific provision

Ireland - No specific provision

Israel - No specific provision

Jamaica - No specific provision

Japan - No specific provision

Jordan - No specific provision

Kenya - No specific provision

Kiribati - No specific provision

Laos - No specific provision

Lebanon - No specific provision

Lesotho - No specific provision

Liberia - No specific provision

Luxembourg - No specific provision

Malawi - No specific provision

Malaysia - No specific provision

Maldives - No specific provision

Malta - No specific provision

Mauritania - No specific provision

Mauritius - No specific provision

Monaco - No specific provision

Morocco - No specific provision

Namibia - No specific provision

Nauru - No specific provision

New Zealand - No specific provision

Nigeria - No specific provision

Norway - No specific provision

Pakistan - No specific provision

Papua New Guinea - No specific provision

Samoa - No specific provision

San Marino - No specific provision

Sierra Leone - No specific provision

Singapore - No specific provision

Solomon Islands - No specific provision

Sri Lanka - No specific provision

St. Kitts and Nevis - No specific provision

St. Lucia - No specific provision

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - No specific provision

Sudan - No specific provision

Eswatini - No specific provision

Sweden - No specific provision

Switzerland - No specific provision

Tanzania - No specific provision

Tonga - No specific provision

Trinidad and Tobago - No specific provision

Türkiye - No specific provision

Tuvalu - No specific provision

Uganda - No specific provision

United Kingdom - No specific provision

United States of America - No specific provision

Uruguay - No specific provision

Vanuatu - No specific provision

Zambia - No specific provision

Afghanistan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Algeria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Bahrain - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Belgium - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Czech Republic - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Egypt - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Georgia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Haiti - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Iran - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Iraq - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Italy - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Republic of Korea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Kuwait - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Libya - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Madagascar - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Mozambique - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Myanmar - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Nepal - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Oman - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Palau - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Poland - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Romania - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Rwanda - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Saudi Arabia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Senegal - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Seychelles - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Somalia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

South Sudan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Syria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Thailand - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Togo - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Tunisia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

United Arab Emirates - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Vietnam - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Yemen - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Andorra - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Armenia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Brazil - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Burkina Faso - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Burundi - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Cambodia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Central African Republic - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Chile - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Cote d'Ivoire - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Croatia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

El Salvador - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Fiji - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Finland - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

France - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Greece - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Guatemala - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Guinea - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Honduras - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Hungary - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Indonesia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Latvia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Liechtenstein - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Lithuania - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Mali - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Marshall Islands - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Micronesia, Federated States of - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Montenegro - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

The Netherlands - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Panama - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Paraguay - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Peru - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

The Philippines - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Qatar - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

South Africa - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Suriname - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Timor-Leste - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Venezuela - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Zimbabwe - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Angola - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Azerbaijan - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Belarus - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Benin - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Bolivia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Colombia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Comoros - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Cuba - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Dominican Republic - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Ecuador - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Estonia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Kazakhstan - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Kyrgyzstan - Guaranteed for non-citizens

North Macedonia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Mexico - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Moldova - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Nicaragua - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Niger - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Russian Federation - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Sao Tome and Principe - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Serbia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Slovenia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Spain - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Tajikistan - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Turkmenistan - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Ukraine - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Uzbekistan - Guaranteed for non-citizens