NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Saturday, July 2, 2016

Private health practitioners have decried the high taxes levied upon them by government as they impede their ability to provide affordable health services. Apart from drugs and medical equipment, other equipment that are used in health facilities have Value Added Tax slapped on them, while other facilities have a raft of charges such as licensing fees and work permits for expatriates, among others.

All these, practitioners argued recently, forces them to raise the cost of their services. Ian Clarke, a renowned private health sector practitioner, said that in private hospitals, patients pay for everything as the facilities are taxed, something that the majority of Ugandans cannot afford.

“We are not in a position where people can pay up. Government should exempt private health practitioners from paying taxes,” said Clarke at the just-concluded East African Health Federation conference, which brought together private sector practitioners in East Africa, with an aim to harness their participation in public healthcare.