VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) has appealed to the Union Government to revise the 28 per cent GST levied on some medicines. A representation would be made by IMA to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley about the impact of GST on medicines before the GST Council meeting scheduled to be held at New Delhi on September 12.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, IMA President (AP Chapter) P Gangadhara Rao said that due to the implementation of GST on medicines, it has become very hard for poor and middle-class people to purchase various drugs in the market. Under the GST regime, most medicines are taxed at 12 and 18 per cent, while essential drugs including insulin are taxed at 5 per cent, he said. He suggested that the Centre should evolve measures in fixing 5 per cent taxation on life-saving drugs or else completely waive it for the benefit of the common man.
“We are not against GST implementation on medicines, but the Union Government should revise the tax slab to 15 percent from 28 per cent on medicines,” Rao said. He pointed out that several GST implementation across the world has not levied taxation rate more than 15 per cent. IMA general secretary Dr KS Karuna Murthy said that the association was also opposing the Union Government’s proposal of bringing ‘The Clinical Establishment Act’ in the State.
He said that nine years ago, the State Government had formulated an Act to monitor the regulations of hospitals. Now, with the implementation of Clinical Establishment Act, several small and medium hospitals will be affected badly due to the regulations. “A committee was appointed under the leadership of Jayaprakash Narayan to study the possibilities of the Act. We are ready to make necessary amendments to the existing Act implementing in the State rather than supporting the Clinical Establishment Act,” said Dr Karuna Murthy.