Human Rights Ombudswoman at a Conference on Health Equity
Dr Simona Drenik Bavdek, the Human Rights Ombudswoman, attended the opening session of the international conference Medicine, Law and Society on 26 March 2026 at the University of Maribor. The two-day event was held under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Nataša Pirc Musar, and focused on discussions on health equity.
In Slovenia, a number of issues and challenges in the field of healthcare are currently topical. The conference therefore addresses topics such as access to healthcare, global threats to health, strategic measures, care for vulnerable groups, artificial intelligence, digital solutions, and other modern healthcare challenges.
During the discussion, Dr Drenik Bavdek emphasised the importance of accessibility in healthcare from the perspective of the right to healthcare, in particular access to general practitioners and paediatricians for children. “Just as it is clear that the right to education means that every child is enrolled in primary school, so it should be clear that every child has the right to choose their own paediatrician. This fundamental right—access to timely and appropriate healthcare for all—must not be treated as secondary. We must therefore all roll up our sleeves and, through cooperation, find appropriate solutions.”
The Ombudswoman believes that, in Slovenia, the resolution of healthcare issues often remains confined to media and expert discussions, with many ideas and promises but too few concrete solutions. She therefore intends to pay particular attention during her term to equity in the healthcare system, the protection of human rights in the field of health, improving access to healthcare services, healthcare for vulnerable groups, digitalisation in healthcare, and establishing an appropriate legal framework in these areas.
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