Oncologist reiterates calls on government to waive duties on free medical supplies
The Chief Executive Officer of the Peace and Love Hospital, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe-Addai has re-iterated calls on government to reduce tariffs imposed on free medical consignments intended to support public health facilities in the country.
According to her, high duties are preventing many donors from importing more drugs and other medical equipment to help Ghana’s underserved hospitals.
She noted “Since we are not selling these items, the government can also waive the duties on them because we get them for free and we come and distribute to our institutions at no cost to them, so why should we pay duties on them?”
She stated that the government should rather assist such donors by exempting the consignments from paying duties in order to encourage more donated items to support health facilities in the hinterlands.
Dr. Wiafe-Addai also stated that many people with hypertension, diabetes, and cancer are unable to afford the necessary drugs; therefore, if the government subsidizes free medical supplies, such people will continue to receive cost-free drugs, ultimately improving Ghana’s health system.
She was speaking after distributing hundreds of medicines worth 2.2 million US dollars to Ghanaian health facilities. The medicines included intravenous infusions, Atenolol tablets, Labitalol tablets and Vicryl.
Beneficiary facilities included the Bunkpurugu hospital, Kumasi Metro health, Jamasi clinic, Ahafo, and Nkokoo hospitals in the Eastern Region.
Dr. Beatrice Wiafe said that the assistance provided by Direct Relief, a non-governmental organisation based in the United States, is aimed at assisting vulnerable people in some middle and low-income countries, including Ghana.
She urged the beneficiary hospitals to avoid selling the drugs to patients and instead provide them for free.
Some of those who received the items on behalf of the hospitals thanked the organisation for its significant contribution to health care delivery in the country.
Joseph Sanwok, who traveled from Bunkpurugu in North-East region, said the gesture has been very beneficial to his district over the last 4 to 5 years because many vulnerable people no longer struggle to access drugs.
He stated that the donation came at an opportune time given the country’s recent economic difficulties.
Mr. Sanwok also urged the government to reduce duties on free medical consignments in order to increase the number of supplies delivered to hospitals.
Source: Ghana News
