The Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) has urged government to eliminate or minimize levies charged private hospitals as multiple taxation is draining private health care centres and the cost is being transferred to patients.
In an address at the association’s 38th Annual General Meeting and scientific conference in Abuja yesterday, its president, Dr Frank Odafen, said private hospitals were constantly under the burden of multiple taxes following the drive by governments at all levels to increase internally generated revenue.
He said multiple taxes, in addition to resources put into paying competitive worker salaries, maintaining equipment, power and security, increase medical bills in private hospitals.
“Only universal health coverage via the National Health Insurance Scheme can eliminate or reduce out-of-pocket expenses and provide profitable lives on the enrolee panels of private medical practitioners,” Odafen said.
The wife of the president, Aisha Buhari, who was represented at the event by the wife of the Kebbi State governor, Zainab Bagudu, pledged support to push for wider coverage of health insurance.
Mrs Buhari said quality health care services remained a cardinal objective of her husband’s administration and called for stakeholders involvement.
She called on doctors to be a part of the vision and movement for the benefit of Nigeria.
