Abel orders Treasury to pay tax on hospital gear

By LUKE KAMA
DEPUTY Prime Minister and Treasurer Charles Abel has directed Treasury to pay the goods and services tax charged on diagnostic medical equipment imported from Dubai by the Sir Joseph Nombri Memorial Kundiawa General Hospital in Chimbu.
Abel said yesterday the department was in the process of sorting out the payment.
Hospital chief executive Dr Harry Poka said the people of Chimbu and the Highlands region could not easily access CT and MRI scanning services in Port Moresby.
“The hospital board made a decision to have these medical facilities installed here in Kundiawa,” Poka said.
“It costs a minimum of K5000 to go down to Port Moresby and access these services and many times our people cannot afford it and many die due to a lack of proper diagnostic and medical treatment equipment.”
Poka said that once the machines were installed, healthcare services in the Highlands region would improve.
“The equipment was purchased at a combined cost of K5.5 million from Dubai and shipped into the country and is now at Lae Port.
“We were charged 10 per cent GST and we don’t have the money to pay for it,” he said.
Poka expressed concern that the tax placed on such equipment was a problem.
“Taxes as such continue to deny Papua New Guinea the opportinity to have advanced medical facilities,” he said.
“I am calling on the Government to review these tax laws and make the purchase and import of medical diagnostic equipment tax free, especially for public hospitals.”
Poka thanked the Treasurer and the Treasury Department for helping out.