The Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health ('the right to health'), Mr Anand Grover, visited Australia on mission between 24 November to 4 December 2009. A full report of his mission will be available in June 2010, but his preliminary observations were released at a press conference on 4th December in Canbera (see below for a link to the preliminary observations).
The purpose of the Mr Grover's mission is to understand, in the spirit of co-operation and dialogue, how Australia endeavours to implement the right to health, the measures taken for its successful realization, and the obstacles encountered both at the national and international level. The mission focused broadly on the right to health in Australia, including access to health care as well as the underlying determinants of health. More specifically, the the Special Rapporteur addressed such issues as:
* National legislative frameworks and their relationship with the right to health
* Access to health services, goods, facilities and information, in particular for marginalised groups, including
non-national, indigenous peoples, rural communities, women and children
* Health services in prisons in particular drug abuse and high rates of sexually transmitted disease
* Asylum policies, including access to health and in particular regarding treatments provided to HIV/AIDS asylum- seekers
* Mental health
* The acceptability and quality of health care services, goods and facilities
* Sexual and reproductive health
* The roles and responsibilites of health professionals
Special Rapporteur, Mr Grover's preliminary observations and recommendations following his 12 day mission to Australia
Special Rapporteur's mandate and further information