Public Health and Human Rights in an Era of Epidemics

This article explores the tension between individual human rights and the need to protect the public health. It focuses on the role of social workers, who have a moral and ethical responsibility to protect the human rights of the individuals with whom they work and to ensure that the public health of their communities is promoted. Drawing on examples from epidemics including Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis, the article suggests ways in which social workers can proactively engage individuals and communities in supporting public health while also ensuring that individual human rights are promoted.