Summary

The Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Tlaleng Mofokeng, visited Luxembourg from 17 to 26 April 2023.

The Special Rapporteur commends the authorities for adopting the project on universal health care coverage in October 2022, which ensures access to health care for vulnerable groups of the population who do not have compulsory health insurance. She underscores that, in line with the principles of universal health coverage, health protection, including through social security, must be guaranteed to everyone, regardless of their professional or administrative situation. She notes some good practices, including the collaborative relationships between ministries and associations and non-governmental organizations. She welcomes the agreement between the Government and the National Health Fund implemented as of 1 April 2023, which ensures access to contraceptives through the health coverage under the social security system, with no age limit. However, she is concerned about the lack of national mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of national health strategies and action plans.

The Special Rapporteur recognizes the efforts made in advancing human rights and the right to health agenda. She stresses that the quality and timely collection of appropriately disaggregated data is needed to inform public policies, resource allocation and forecasting of needs. She recommends that Luxembourg establish multidisciplinary, multisectoral, interdepartmental institutional responsibility for the implementation of the right to health national strategy and plan of action.