WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Does the constitution explicitly guarantee citizens’ right to medical care?

The right to medical care or services includes language such as “curative services,” “health-care services,” or “disease treatment,” or discussion of the state’s responsibility to restore/rehabilitate health.

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

Granted for some groups, not universally means the constitution explicitly guarantees the right to medical care to some 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 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 access to medical care or will provide medical care within three years.

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

Guaranteed free means that the constitution explicitly guarantees the right to free medical care to citizens in authoritative language.

Countries

Algeria - No specific provision

Andorra - No specific provision

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

Belize - No specific provision

Benin - No specific provision

Bosnia and Herzegovina - No specific provision

Botswana - No specific provision

Brunei - No specific provision

Burkina Faso - No specific provision

Cameroon - No specific provision

Canada - No specific provision

Chad - No specific provision

Republic of the Congo - No specific provision

Democratic 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

Estonia - No specific provision

France - No specific provision

Gabon - No specific provision

Germany - No specific provision

Greece - No specific provision

Grenada - No specific provision

Guinea - No specific provision

Guinea-Bissau - No specific provision

Hungary - 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

Kiribati - No specific provision

Republic of Korea - No specific provision

Lebanon - No specific provision

Liberia - No specific provision

Luxembourg - No specific provision

Malaysia - No specific provision

Mali - No specific provision

Malta - No specific provision

Mauritania - No specific provision

Mauritius - No specific provision

Monaco - No specific provision

Namibia - No specific provision

Nauru - No specific provision

The Netherlands - No specific provision

New Zealand - No specific provision

Norway - No specific provision

Papua New Guinea - No specific provision

Rwanda - No specific provision

Samoa - No specific provision

San Marino - No specific provision

Sao Tome and Principe - 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

Sweden - No specific provision

Tanzania - No specific provision

Togo - 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

Honduras - Guaranteed for some groups, not universally

Italy - Guaranteed for some groups, not universally

Mexico - Guaranteed for some groups, not universally

Pakistan - Guaranteed for some groups, not universally

Senegal - Guaranteed for some groups, not universally

Uruguay - Guaranteed for some groups, not universally

Bangladesh - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Bhutan - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Brazil - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Cambodia - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

China - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Comoros - 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

The Gambia - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Ghana - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Guyana - 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

Madagascar - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Malawi - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Maldives - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Moldova - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Morocco - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Nigeria - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Palau - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

The Philippines - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Seychelles - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Sierra Leone - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Sudan - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Suriname - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Eswatini - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Switzerland - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Türkiye - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Uganda - Aspirational or subject to progressive realization

Albania - Guaranteed right

Angola - Guaranteed right

Azerbaijan - Guaranteed right

Bahrain - Guaranteed right

Belgium - Guaranteed right

Burundi - Guaranteed right

Cabo Verde - Guaranteed right

Central African Republic - Guaranteed right

Chile - Guaranteed right

Colombia - Guaranteed right

Cote d'Ivoire - Guaranteed right

Croatia - Guaranteed right

Dominican Republic - Guaranteed right

Egypt - Guaranteed right

El Salvador - Guaranteed right

Fiji - Guaranteed right

Finland - Guaranteed right

Georgia - Guaranteed right

Guatemala - Guaranteed right

Haiti - Guaranteed right

Indonesia - Guaranteed right

Iran - Guaranteed right

Iraq - Guaranteed right

Kuwait - Guaranteed right

Latvia - Guaranteed right

Libya - Guaranteed right

Liechtenstein - Guaranteed right

Lithuania - Guaranteed right

North Macedonia - Guaranteed right

Marshall Islands - Guaranteed right

Micronesia, Federated States of - Guaranteed right

Mongolia - Guaranteed right

Montenegro - Guaranteed right

Mozambique - Guaranteed right

Myanmar - Guaranteed right

Nicaragua - Guaranteed right

Niger - Guaranteed right

Oman - Guaranteed right

Panama - Guaranteed right

Paraguay - Guaranteed right

Peru - Guaranteed right

Poland - Guaranteed right

Portugal - Guaranteed right

Qatar - Guaranteed right

Romania - Guaranteed right

Saudi Arabia - Guaranteed right

Serbia - Guaranteed right

Somalia - Guaranteed right

South Africa - Guaranteed right

Spain - Guaranteed right

Syria - Guaranteed right

Thailand - Guaranteed right

Timor-Leste - Guaranteed right

Tunisia - Guaranteed right

United Arab Emirates - Guaranteed right

Uzbekistan - Guaranteed right

Venezuela - Guaranteed right

Vietnam - Guaranteed right

Yemen - Guaranteed right

Zimbabwe - Guaranteed right

Afghanistan - Guaranteed free

Armenia - Guaranteed free

Belarus - Guaranteed free

Bolivia - Guaranteed free

Bulgaria - Guaranteed free

Cuba - Guaranteed free

Czech Republic - Guaranteed free

Ecuador - Guaranteed free

Kazakhstan - Guaranteed free

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Guaranteed free

Kyrgyzstan - Guaranteed free

Nepal - Guaranteed free

Russian Federation - Guaranteed free

Slovakia - Guaranteed free

Slovenia - Guaranteed free

South Sudan - Guaranteed free

Tajikistan - Guaranteed free

Turkmenistan - Guaranteed free

Ukraine - Guaranteed free