IMA urges Centre to exempt critical medical equipment from GST
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has appealed to the Union Health Ministry to give Goods & Service Tax (GST) exemption for critical medical equipment, life-saving drugs and health insurance.
Disclosing this here on Friday, the chairman, IMA action committee said that the association has appealed to the health ministry to consider their suggestion in the coming Union Budget.
“It is really necessary to withdraw GST for several critical components like medical equipment, life-saving drugs and health insurance. We have especially emphasised that cancer drugs should be exempted from GST,” he said.
In the last Union Budget, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman exempted three cancer medicines including Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Osimertinib, and Durvalumab from customs duty.
“Cancer drugs are very costly. And it is necessary to exempt GST for such drugs,” he said.
According to him, IMA has also appealed to the health ministry to increase the budgetary allocation in the health sector. “Much emphasis needs to be given on the primary and tertiary health care center. PPP mode in the medical sector should also be encouraged,” he said.
He said that the government should include human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in the national immunization process.
The HPV vaccine protects against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a leading cause of cervical cancer.
