Case SU-225/98
Country: ColombiaYear: 1998
Court: Constitutional Court
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health systems and financing, Infectious diseases, Medicines, Poverty, Water, sanitation and hygiene
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to life, Right to social security
Through a representative, 418 parents, inhabitants of the sector of Puenta Aranda in Bogota, filed a tutela against the national and district health authorities alleging that the authorities’ failure to provide a free vaccination program against meningitis violated the duty to protect the health of their children. The Plaintiffs were poor, worked in the informal …Read more
Bandhua Mukti Morcha v. Union of India and Others
Country: IndiaYear: 1997
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: (1997) 10 SCC 549
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Diet and nutrition, Occupational health, Poverty
Human Rights: Right to education, Right to food, Right to health, Right to life, Right to social security, Right to work
Carpet industries in Uttar Pradesh employed children, under the age of 14, where they were “being treated as slaves” and were “subjected to physical torture.” This writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court under Article 32 as a public interest matter. The Court immediately commissioned a report to determine whether children under the age …Read more
Mrs. Shantha vs. State Of Andhra Pradesh and Ors
Country: IndiaYear: 1997
Court: High Court - Andhra Pradesh
Citation: 1999 ACJ 454; AIR 1998 AP 51; 1997 (4) ALT 357
Health Topics: Medical malpractice, Poverty
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to life
Mrs. Shantha, the Petitioner, was admitted to the Government Maternity Hospital for a caesarian section. She was affected sterilization after the caesarian section. On leaving the hospital after the operation, she felt abdominal discomfort leading to very severe pain. Following medical examination, it was discovered that surgical equipment had been left inside the Petitioner’s abdomen …Read more
Soobramoney v. Minister of Health
Country: South AfricaYear: 1997
Court: Constitutional Court
Citation: [1997] ZACC 17; 1998 (1) SA 765 (CC); 1997 (12) BCLR 1696
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Hospitals
Human Rights: Right to health
The appellant was a 41-year old, unemployed, diabetic man who suffered from ischaemic heart disease, cerebro-vascular disease, and renal failure. His condition was chronic and irreversible. In order to continue address this condition and prolong his life, he required regular renal dialysis treatment. The appellant had made all efforts to continue treatment privately, but was …Read more
Case T-484/92
Country: ColombiaYear: 1992
Court: Constitutional Court
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, HIV/AIDS, Poverty
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to health, Right to life
The Petitioner, a Colombian national living with HIV, filed an appeal for legal protection against the Colombian Social Security Institute. The Petitioner claimed that his right to medical services was threatened when a doctor at the Cali Social Security Institute informed him that his treatment would cease in 30 days. However, medical directors at the …Read more
Pottinger v. City of Miami
Country: United StatesYear: 1992
Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Citation: 810 F. Supp. 1551 (S.D. Fla. 1992)
Health Topics: Poverty
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Freedom of movement and residence, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to property
The plaintiffs brought a class action lawsuit on behalf of themselves and about 6,000 other homeless persons against the City of Miami, Florida. They claimed that by arresting and seizing the property of the plaintiffs, the City’s police officers violated the plaintiffs’ rights under the United States and Florida Constitutions. The plaintiffs claimed that it …Read more
Rust v. Sullivan
Country: United StatesYear: 1991
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 500 U.S. 173 (1991)
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right of access to information, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to privacy
In 1970, Congress enacted Title X of the Public Health Service Act (the Act), which provided federal funding for family planning services. Section 1008 of the Act prohibited the use of Title X federal funding “for programs where abortion [was] a method of family planning.” The Regulations to the Act (the Regulations), introduced by the …Read more
Alexander v. Choate
Country: United StatesYear: 1985
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 469 U.S. 287 (1985)
Health Topics: Disabilities, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Mental health, Poverty
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to social security
In response to increasing projected state Medicaid costs, the directors of the Tennessee Medicaid program decided to implement a number of cost saving measures. Among these measures was a proposed reduction in the number of annual days of inpatient hospital care covered by the program from 20 to 14 days per fiscal year. Respondents, Tennessee …Read more
Payton v. Weaver
Country: United StatesYear: 1982
Court: Court of Appeal, First District, Division 1, California
Citation: Payton v. Weaver 182 Cal. Rptr. 225 (Cal. Ct. App. 1982)
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Controlled substances, Health care and health services, Medical malpractice, Mental health, Poverty
Human Rights: Right to health
Appellant, Brenda Payton, suffered from end stage renal disease and required weekly dialysis. She also suffered from drug addition, mental illness, and poverty. She brought action against respondents, physician John C Weaver, Jr. and Alba Bates and Herrick hospitals, in form of petition for writ of mandate alleging that they wrongly failed to provide her …Read more
Schweiker v. Hogan
Country: United StatesYear: 1982
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 457 U.S. 569 (1982)
Health Topics: Aging, Disabilities, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Poverty
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to social security
The Respondents brought this suit challenging the constitutional validity of § 1903(f) of the Social Security Act (the Act); they claimed it violated the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment. Under the Medicaid program, States were required to provide Medicaid coverage to certain individuals described as the “categorically needy” and, at their discretion, could …Read more