Govt to waive taxes on ARVs

Mar 16, 2005

THE Government will waive taxes on anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs to enable patients to easily access them.

By Irene Nabusoba

THE Government will waive taxes on anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs to enable patients to easily access them.

The minister of health, Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi, yesterday said they were in talks with the finance ministry over the matter.

“I would like to assure members that we shall not accept any taxes on drugs especially ARVs,” Muhwezi said.

Muhwezi was appearing before the parliamentary standing committee on HIV/AIDS to answer queries on the state of AIDS programmes.

The committee chaired by Elioda Tumwesigye (Sheema North) raised concerns that should the ARVs be subjected to the proposed 10% tax on imported drugs, it would jeopardise their accessibility by poor patients.
The committee also queried the credibility of the staff administering the drugs.

Tumwesigye said during their tour of the western region, they found large quantities of ARVs in Bundibugyo because the health workers had not been trained to administer them.

Muhwezi said over 100 health facilities had been accredited and approximately 100 0f them were providing ARVs. He said 42 districts had trained medical officers, clinical officers and councillors in basic HIV/AIDS care, including provision of ARVs.

The committee heard that the country’s target was to reach 60,000 people by the end of the year.

Currently, there are 45,000 people on free ARVs.

Delivery and distribution of ARVs worth $1.67m to cover 13,000 people was secured last year and another consignment of 16 different ARVs worth $2.5m is expected next month. It will be followed by another consignment worth $3.6m in June.

Meanwhile, the committee heard that the fake Engabu condoms that were withdrawn from the public late last year, were contaminated with sulphur.

“The Chinese ambassador said the problem was ours, but our experts say it was from the industry. They left sulphur that is why there was a foul smell,” Muhwezi said.

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