Coronavirus: Remove taxes on face masks – Anaba to govt

A former Medical Director at the Ridge Hospital, now the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Dr. Thomas Anaba has said the government must scrap all taxes on gloves and face masks in order to reduce the cost of producing and importing the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) into the country.

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¢5 and GH¢2

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

Dr. Anaba who is also the Executive Director of the African Centre for Health Policy Research and Analysis described the development as unacceptable and wants the levy on them dropped.

“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,” he stated on the Sunrise Morning Show on 3FM 92.7. Tuesday, February 2.