GLOBAL SCIENCE AND JURISPRUDENTIAL APPROACH CONCERNING HEALTHCARE AND ILLNESS

Abstract

The meaning of good health can no longer be defined simply as ‘the absence of disease’ as only elimination and prevention of disease is not enough. A political economy approach lends itself very well to grasping the multidimensional nature of the current health system or possibly better the health industry because of the scientific and technological revolutions in medical research and health practice in the past half century. The investment of capital from both like- public and private now plays a central role in all aspects of healthcare infrastructure and medicine. At international level, there are multiple organizations, conventions, declaration and protocols that define universal rights to health and disease prevention and cure system. Similarly, at national level, in all countries there is a substantial commitment of national resources by the state to hospital and medicine that goes far to provide facilities and the practice of health care. Concerns about health and the health care system must be the prime agenda of all government and collective responsibility of healthcare personnel and people. There are horrifying gaps in health and disease prevention/cure for majority of people, vulnerable groups and the poor, although the marvelous improvements in overall health and life expectancy during the past years. These gaps in health increase in a climate of economic and social inequities as well as create that kind of conditions that adversely affects the health of individuals and communities by denying the equal opportunity to meet their basic human needs.