Physicians and medical practitioners under the aegis of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), Ogun state chapter, on Sunday cried out to the State government over alleged multiple taxations being charged by different ministries, departments, and agencies of government.
While explaining that the multiple taxations hinder access to quality clinical services being enjoyed by an increasing population of patients for which the public hospitals can’t cover alone, the doctors lamented that they lose so much to the treatment of patients due to the negative effects of multiple taxations which reduce quality healthcare delivery capacity of private hospitals and clinics.
Speaking on the state of private healthcare delivery in the state during a virtual Annual General Meeting of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, Rabiu Kusimo, the Chairman of AGPMPN, appealed to the state governor, Dapo Abiodun to relieve members of the AGPMPN, the burden of multiple taxation through many of government agencies.
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Kusimo, who was re-elected as Chairman together with other Executive members for another two years tenure, noted that the Association wants a reasonable reduction in the taxation, provision of credits as well as tax harmonisation, as many of its patients are poor and could not adequately pay for medical and clinical services rendered to them.
He said, “We lose so much to the treatment of the unidentified patients that we have to compulsorily attend to, under the National Health Act and the helping hands. We give the international agencies as an adjunct to the free medication for some diseases, such as Tuberculosis.
“Yet, many of our patients are poor and cannot adequately pay for the
services offered. This makes it a louder call for some relief from the many levies
and charges by many agencies of the state government.
“Suffice to mention that this period is a period when governments all over the world are giving massive support to the private sector to strengthen the sector through loans and tax cuts.
“On behalf of the Ogun AGPMPN, this executive is currently on advocacy to request the state government and her many agencies, a relief from the burden of taxation on private medical practitioners.
“We have been to and have received assurances for support from the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, the Ministries of Finance and Health. We plead with the government of Ogun state to please relieve us of the burden of multiple taxation through many of her agencies. We are hopeful for some relief soon.
“Much as we appreciate the Ogun state for her giant strides across boards, especially towards providing quality healthcare for our people, I wish to mention here again, our appeal to the state government to carry the private medical practitioners along with the evolution of policies ahead of their implementation when such have to do with the healthcare of our people.
“We appeal to the state government to please carry the private medical practitioners along the ladder of the evolution of the state health
insurance scheme.”
