Groningen Centre for Health Law

Adriaan van Es, founder and Secretary of IFHHRO, is an MD, family doctor and counselor on end-of-life decisions. Dr van Es is also active in health related human rights advocacy. In his interview with GHLG, he talks about his journey within human rights work in the health sector. 

Medes Malaihollo - COVID-19 is having a disproportionately harmful effect on indigenous peoples. Particularly in Brazil, the virus affects the health of these vulnerable groups to such a degree that it constitutes a serious threat to their existence. Many indigenous communities have little to no immunity against most diseases, poor access to health care and experience starvation as a serious outcome due to lockdowns.

Brigit Toebes - Covid-19 has put a spotlight on the responsibilities of States under the International Health Regulations and on State accountability in case of a breach.

Natalie Schuck - “Although the COVID-19 crisis is, in the first instance, a physical health crisis, it has the seeds of a major mental health crisis as well, if action is not taken”, as per the policy brief by the United Nations published in mid-May. Months earlier, the WHO and other organizations already outlined the danger of COVID-19-related psychological distress and published information on how to take care of one’s mental health and well-being.

Elisavet Athanasia Alexiadou - Since the onset of this unprecedented global public health crisis owed to the Covid-19 outbreak and its rapid global spread, serious concerns have been voiced regarding the limited role that transparency is playing in global health governance and particularly in ensuring the right to health (care) for all during the Covid-19 pandemic. Crucially, in times of public health emergencies a significant transparency gap tends to exist in the governance framework

Nicolle Zeegers - How governments approach the Covid-19 crisis is not only interesting from the political science viewpoint; it also has wide-reaching implications for global health. Political regimes find themselves on a continuum between the democratic and the authoritarian ends.

Robert Simons has gained extensive knowledge as a practitioner working with human rights. Simons was previously the Nurse Director of the Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and has international healthcare experience in Sudan, Pakistan and Vietnam.

Ratna Juwita - Anti-corruption is an important aspect that has to be prioritized during the public health emergency. During the public health emergency, one of the most important activities in dealing with pandemics is to provide quality medical equipment, medicine, and health services in a sufficient number through the procurement process

Brigit Toebes - The Netherlands, a country with 17 million inhabitants, had its first COVID-19 hospitalizations in the beginning of March 2020. On March 16th, Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced a range of measures aimed at “maximum control,” but not “maximum containment” of the virus: in other words, social distancing measures, but no full lockdown.

Dr Cheluchi Onyemelukwe - The current COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a global crisis with short and long-term implications for health, the economy and social relations, especially in resource-constrained countries such as Nigeria. In Africa’s second most populous country with about 200 million the possibility of a public health disaster has implications not only for its citizens but for the West Africa region.