Published on: April 1, 2011

What Is Torture in Health Care?

  • A young man is left to die in pain because of archaic restrictions on medicines.

  • A woman is sterilized without her consent because she has HIV.

  • A teenager with a drug problem is locked away in a “treatment” center where he is beaten and abused.

International Federation of Health & Human Rights Organisations (IFHHRO) in collaboration with Open Society Foundations and other NGO partners, is spearheading a initiative to stop cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment in health care settings. The main issues this initiative focuses on are forced/coerced sterilization, denial of pain relief or the non-accessibility of palliative care and detention for treatment.

This global effort builds on the recent groundswell of civil society activity to protect and advance human rights in health settings. The Campaign seeks to hold governments accountable for the most egregious abuses perpetrated against citizens in the name of health care.

We encourage you to support this important initiative!

Visit stoptortureinhealthcare.org & follow @carenottorture on Twitter.

Make sure you check out the Resources section of their website, where you will find issues in your part of the world. For example, India and palliative care:

And powerful videos in Real Voices, a couple highlighting palliative care:

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