Scrap taxes on dialysis consumables – Government told

The Africa Centre for Tax Policy Research (ACTOR) has added its voice to the calls for taxes on the importation of dialysis consumables to be scrapped.

The issue has dominated public discourse for almost two weeks after tye Korle Bu Teaching Hospital announced a 100 per cent increase in the procedure.

ACTOR said in a statement that it has “taken note of the discussions in the media highlighting that over 90% of Ghanaian kidney failure patients either cannot afford dialysis, due to its high cost, or lack access to it".

It said: "Currently, dialysis consumable items such as Dialysers, Introducer Needle, AV Fistula Needle, Blood Tubing Set, Transducer Protector, Single Lumen Hemodialysis Catheter, Double Lumen Hemodialysis Catheter, and Triple Lumen Hemodialysis Catheter currently incur a minimum of 5% import duty and taxes under the First Schedule of the Customs Act, 2015 (Act 891), as amended, classified under the HS Code heading 90.18".

"The added expenses due to these taxes are often transferred to patients in the form of higher prices".

"ACTOR firmly believes that these consumables should be exempt from all taxes and levies, to make Dialysis treatment more affordable for all individuals suffering kidney malfunction", it stated.

The group urged the Ministry of Finance to, as a matter of urgency, submit proposals for “amendment of the Customs Act and any other relevant legislation that imposes charges on this essential commodity".