I, therefore, suggest that the government should remove tax/duty exemptions from the medical sector.
KARACHI: In Pakistan, various tax exemptions are enjoyed by different sectors and institutions. In a country where the facilities in the social sector, especially for the poor, are in a shambles, such exemptions are beyond comprehension. For instance, the market is flooded with second-hand medical apparatus, which is sometimes many years old and after being phased out in the developed world, finds its way in our country through unknown means. Surprisingly, many top class private hospitals in the country are using second-hand and refurbished diagnostic imaging systems. However, despite using these inexpensive machines, they still charge the patients exorbitant fees.
I, therefore, suggest that the government should remove tax/duty exemptions from the medical sector if the benefit of such exemptions cannot be passed on to the patients.
M Asif
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2014.
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