Keith Haring would have been 61 years old today had he not succumbed to HIV/AIDS related complications in 1990.  He surely would have been hopeful and optimistic in light of recent findings that have led the media to proclaim the “end of AIDS is in sight.”  However, for many, access to medicine and healthcare remains a major hurdle in the fight against HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

According to the World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “The right to health for all people means that everyone should have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without suffering financial hardship.  No one should get sick and die just because they are poor, or because they cannot access the health services they need.”

As we continue the fight against HIV/AIDS, it is critical that we understand that healthcare is a human right.