A former Medical Director at the Ridge Hospital, now the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Dr. Thomas Anaba has urged the government to scrap all taxes on gloves and face masks.
This he says 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 who spoke on 3FM on February 2, 2021, 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.
READ ALSO:Â Dr Aboagye explains why more Covid-19 figures are being recorded at Ayawaso West
“It is making it difficult for private hospitals to provide services and this is also leading to the spread of the virus,â€
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.
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