Proposal to increase tax on tobacco products soon: Health Minister Basnet

KATHMANDU: Minister for Health and Population, Mohan Bahadur Basnet, has pledged to propose increasing tax on tobacco products at the cabinet meeting. The Minister said this while receiving a memorandum from a delegation of the Health and Population Department of the CPN (UML) on Tuesday. He said taxes from tobacco products will be spent for the medical treatment of those people unable to afford the medical cost. "Now the taxes on tobacco products fall behind the rates determined by the World Health Organisation. Once taxes are hiked, it will be costlier, leading to a potential fall in consumption. But the taxes from its use will be used to develop a basket fund for poor communities," the Minister said. Expressing his concerns over an exodus of the medical workforce, he said, " Doctors and nurses who went abroad from Nepal are denied better payment and facilities." He added that the government has already directed the entire health facilities to allocate 10% of beds for the treatment of the needy ones, warning that the violation of the direction will be punishable. The government is working to bring back 800 employees under the Ministry who have been at different places on deputations. Department Chief and lawmaker Krishna Gopal Shrestha handed an 11-point memorandum to the Minister, calling for quality healthcare service to the citizens. The memo suggests that the government properly implement the provision of 10% free treatment in hospitals, ease health care services for eight types of chronic diseases, make the health insurance programme effective, intensify the building of basic health facilities at 396 local levels, make dialysis and surgery services accessible, bring the Federal Health Service Act soon and promote the safety of health professionals. The delegation demanded the government take measures to prevent diarrhoea, measles and dengue line health issues. READ ALSO:

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