Covid-19:Gov’t urged to scrap taxes on PPE’s

Dr Thomas Anaba former medical director for Ridge hospital now Greater Accra Regional Hospital has appealed to the government to scrap all taxes on gloves and face masks.

He indicated that it will reduce the cost of producing and importing the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) into the country.

Dr Anaba who is also the Executive Director of the African Centre for Health Policy Research and Analysis in an interview on Accra based 3fm, said this will help in the fight against Covid-19.

“Government should remove taxes on face masks and gloves from our ports to make it cheap for everybody and also help the hospitals because the prices of gloves have gone up five-folds which is not very good.

“It is making it difficult for private hospitals to provide services and this is also leading to the spread of the virus,”

Currently, the cost of a single medicated face masks ranges between GH¢1 and GH¢2 whiles the pack goes for GH¢70. That of the locally produced mask goes for between GH¢1 and GH¢2.

The face shield which was originally GH¢40 has over time dropped to GH¢5 and GH¢1.

Meanwhile, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has explained the reason why more Covid-19 figures are being recorded at Ayawaso West.

According to Mr Aboagye who addressed a press briefing today, February 2, 2021, he said the figures coming from Ayawaso were artificial and is as a result of the numerous laboratories there.