WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Does the constitution explicitly guarantee an approach to the right to health?

This map tells us whether countries take any approach to protect health in their constitution.

Only constitutional provisions are included in this map. Legislative protections are not shown here. Read more about why constitutions matter.

Approaches to health include the right to health, public health, or medical care.

No specific provision means that the constitution does not explicitly mention health protections. This does not mean that the constitution denies these protections, but that it does not explicitly include them.

Guaranteed for some groups, not universally means the constitution explicitly guarantees the right to health, public health, or medical care to specific groups, but not to all citizens. Specific groups that are named in constitutions include children, the elderly, the poor, persons with disabilities, women, and ethnic minorities.

Aspirational or subject to progressive realization means that the constitution protects the right to health, public health or medical care but does not use language strong enough to be considered a guarantee, or states that these rights will be implemented progressively or within a certain time period. For example, the nation will endeavor to provide the right to health or will provide medical care within three years.

Guaranteed right means that the constitution explicitly guarantees the right to health, medical care, or public health to citizens in authoritative language. For example, constitutions in this category might guarantee citizens’ right to health or make it the State’s responsibility to ensure the protection of the right to health.

Countries

Antigua and Barbuda - No specific provision

Argentina - No specific provision

Australia - No specific provision

Austria - No specific provision

Bahamas - No specific provision

Barbados - No specific provision

Botswana - No specific provision

Brunei - No specific provision

Cameroon - No specific provision

Canada - No specific provision

Chad - No specific provision

Costa Rica - No specific provision

Cyprus - No specific provision

Denmark - No specific provision

Djibouti - No specific provision

Dominica - No specific provision

Germany - No specific provision

Greenland - No specific provision

Grenada - No specific provision

Ireland - No specific provision

Israel - No specific provision

Jamaica - No specific provision

Jordan - No specific provision

Kiribati - No specific provision

Lebanon - No specific provision

Liberia - No specific provision

Luxembourg - No specific provision

Malaysia - No specific provision

Malta - No specific provision

Mauritania - No specific provision

Mauritius - No specific provision

Monaco - No specific provision

Nauru - No specific provision

New Zealand - No specific provision

Norway - No specific provision

Samoa - No specific provision

San Marino - 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

Tonga - No specific provision

Trinidad and Tobago - No specific provision

Tuvalu - No specific provision

United Kingdom - No specific provision

United States of America - No specific provision

Vanuatu - No specific provision

Zambia - No specific provision

Iceland - Guaranteed for some groups, not universally

Pakistan - Guaranteed for some groups, not universally

Bangladesh - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Belize - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Bhutan - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

China - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Equatorial Guinea - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Eritrea - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Ethiopia - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Gabon - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

The Gambia - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Ghana - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Guinea-Bissau - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Guyana - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

India - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Japan - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Kenya - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Laos - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Lesotho - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Malawi - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Maldives - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Morocco - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Namibia - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Nigeria - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Papua New Guinea - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Sierra Leone - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Sudan - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Eswatini - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Sweden - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Switzerland - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Tanzania - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Türkiye - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Uganda - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Uruguay - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Afghanistan - Guaranteed right

Albania - Guaranteed right

Algeria - Guaranteed right

Andorra - Guaranteed right

Angola - Guaranteed right

Armenia - Guaranteed right

Azerbaijan - Guaranteed right

Bahrain - Guaranteed right

Belarus - Guaranteed right

Belgium - Guaranteed right

Benin - Guaranteed right

Bolivia - Guaranteed right

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Guaranteed right

Brazil - Guaranteed right

Bulgaria - Guaranteed right

Burkina Faso - Guaranteed right

Burundi - Guaranteed right

Cambodia - Guaranteed right

Cabo Verde - Guaranteed right

Central African Republic - Guaranteed right

Chile - Guaranteed right

Colombia - Guaranteed right

Comoros - Guaranteed right

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Guaranteed right

Republic of the Congo - Guaranteed right

Cote d'Ivoire - Guaranteed right

Croatia - Guaranteed right

Cuba - Guaranteed right

Czech Republic - Guaranteed right

Dominican Republic - Guaranteed right

Ecuador - Guaranteed right

Egypt - Guaranteed right

El Salvador - Guaranteed right

Estonia - Guaranteed right

Fiji - Guaranteed right

Finland - Guaranteed right

France - Guaranteed right

Georgia - Guaranteed right

Greece - Guaranteed right

Guatemala - Guaranteed right

Guinea - Guaranteed right

Haiti - Guaranteed right

Honduras - Guaranteed right

Hungary - Guaranteed right

Indonesia - Guaranteed right

Iran - Guaranteed right

Iraq - Guaranteed right

Italy - Guaranteed right

Kazakhstan - Guaranteed right

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Guaranteed right

Republic of Korea - Guaranteed right

Kuwait - Guaranteed right

Kyrgyzstan - Guaranteed right

Latvia - Guaranteed right

Libya - Guaranteed right

Liechtenstein - Guaranteed right

Lithuania - Guaranteed right

North Macedonia - Guaranteed right

Madagascar - Guaranteed right

Mali - Guaranteed right

Marshall Islands - Guaranteed right

Mexico - Guaranteed right

Micronesia, Federated States of - Guaranteed right

Moldova - Guaranteed right

Mongolia - Guaranteed right

Montenegro - Guaranteed right

Mozambique - Guaranteed right

Myanmar - Guaranteed right

Nepal - Guaranteed right

The Netherlands - Guaranteed right

Nicaragua - Guaranteed right

Niger - Guaranteed right

Oman - Guaranteed right

Palau - Guaranteed right

Panama - Guaranteed right

Paraguay - Guaranteed right

Peru - Guaranteed right

The Philippines - Guaranteed right

Poland - Guaranteed right

Portugal - Guaranteed right

Qatar - Guaranteed right

Romania - Guaranteed right

Russian Federation - Guaranteed right

Rwanda - Guaranteed right

Sao Tome and Principe - Guaranteed right

Saudi Arabia - Guaranteed right

Senegal - Guaranteed right

Serbia - Guaranteed right

Seychelles - Guaranteed right

Slovakia - Guaranteed right

Slovenia - Guaranteed right

Somalia - Guaranteed right

South Africa - Guaranteed right

South Sudan - Guaranteed right

Spain - Guaranteed right

Suriname - Guaranteed right

Syria - Guaranteed right

Tajikistan - Guaranteed right

Thailand - Guaranteed right

Timor-Leste - Guaranteed right

Togo - Guaranteed right

Tunisia - Guaranteed right

Turkmenistan - Guaranteed right

Ukraine - Guaranteed right

United Arab Emirates - Guaranteed right

Uzbekistan - Guaranteed right

Venezuela - Guaranteed right

Vietnam - Guaranteed right

Yemen - Guaranteed right

Zimbabwe - Guaranteed right