ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan National Heart Association, Human Development Foundation (HDF), and the Society for Protection of Rights of the Child (SPARC), on Wednesday collectively requested Prime Minister Imran Khan to ensure implementation of the Health Levy Bill, which was duly passed by the Cabinet in 2019.
Addressing at a press conference here on Wednesday at the National Press Club Islamabad, the SPARC and other health activists asked the government to recall Health Levy Bill, which was passed by the cabinet in 2019 and is yet not implemented.
Health activists have been pleading the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Health Ministry over the imposition of the Health Levy Bill which was passed last year, and still not implemented. Khalil Ahmed, programme manager, SPARC said, Pakistan's economy is unfortunately unstable, the idea of a health levy was to increase the prices of sugary drinks and tobacco products, so that they are out of reach of children, and it would have generated revenue. Health levy on sugary drinks and cigarettes would have generated Rs 55 billion in revenue which could be used for healthcare infrastructure.
As a result of the lack of implementation of the bill, the country lost Rs 55 billion last year. He further added that the Covid-19 pandemic made everyone realise that our existing resources are insufficient for any health emergency.
Revenue generated from the health levy could have been utilised for pandemic control and guarantee better health for our people.
During the press conference, Chaudhry Sana Ullah Ghuman, secretary general, Pakistan National Heart Association said that the Federal Cabinet approved the health levy bill last year in June, despite the approval of the prime minister and the cabinet, the said bill is yet not implemented.
Nevertheless, this bill has been going back and forth between the FBR, the Health Ministry, and the Finance Ministry.
He was of the view that the FBR has stated in writing that it does not have any issues with the implementation of a health levy. Col Azhar Saleem (retired), CEO, Human Development Foundation (HDF) said that the under-aged are the most affected group from tobacco consumption.
Therefore, we anticipate that the government will take instant notice of the delay in implementation of the health levy without being ill-advised by the FBR and take necessary steps to safeguard the health of millions of children in Pakistan.
He demanded an investigation to determine why the decision of the federal cabinet to impose a health levy on tobacco could not be implemented, and also demanded Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice.
He said that due to the delay in implementation of health levy, the national exchequer suffered a loss of Rs 55 billion. The Covid-19 pandemic made everyone realise once again that our existing resources are inadequate to counter any health emergency. This amount could have been utilised for pandemic control and guarantee better health and living standard for our citizens.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020