Government must take off taxes on dialysis consumables – Renal Patients Association

The President of the Renal Patient Association, Kojo Baffour Ahenkorah is calling on the government to take off all taxes on dialysis consumables for treatment for renal patients.

Speaking on Morning Starr, the President expressed worry over the recent shutdown at the Korle-Bu Renal Unit attributing it to the high taxes on the dialysis consumables.

“So, for the taxes, I agree with you perfectly. Governments should look at it again. They should scrap it off from all the consumables so that it can be a bit less for people to go and have their session in private”, Mr. Ahenkorah stated.

He explained that dialysis isn’t for free so if the government gives a certain amount to be charged and you think it’s not working, they should go and have a discussion with the government making sure to explain everything to them.

“The dialysis is not for free. Parliament has given you instructions, to charge this amount. If you think the amount that you are charging is not adequate, that is making you people lose or to pay this debt, go and sit down with Parliament. Explain to them, let them understand. Maybe they can subsidize it for us.”

According to him, the recent shutdown occurred because some essential consumables had been held up at the port for nearly three weeks, due to tax declaration issues and related matters.

The consumables were detained upon arrival from Germany due to outstanding taxes and related fees, preventing their clearance.

“Because of this latest shutdown, I’m being told it’s the same consumables. And I’m being told the consumables have been at the port for almost three weeks. And it was all because they are declaring taxes and those things.

“And then when the consumables arrived in the country from Germany, these taxes and those things were on it. That is why we were not able to declare it,” the President stated.

He also expressed gratitude to some private sectors that if not for their intervention there would be an increase in the mortality rate. But also made mention of the high cost of dialysis and requested for the government to take off the taxes placed on the consumables.

“Because if not the private sector, who people have opened some of these private dialysis centres to support us, like the mortality rate that we will get within these two weeks, Ghana will not even stand it.”

“But here it’s that the private are charging between 700 to 1,000 cities per session, depending on where you go. So, you can imagine. So, I agree with you perfectly. The taxes need to be waived off the consumables.”