Association advocates introduction of health tax to fund healthcare

By Felicia Imohimi

The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Federal Health Institutions Sector, has suggested the introduction of health tax to cushion the current funding gap in the health sector.

Mr Wale Olatunde, the National Chairman of the association, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the on-going annual national conference of the association in Abuja.

The theme of the conference is: “Clinical Utilisation and Application of Nursing Models/Theories for Effective Nursing Practice”.

Olatunde who likened the health tax to Value Added Tax (VAT) and Education Tax emphasised that through such measures, all factories within the country would be made to pay one per cent of their annual profits.

This will aid in funding the sector to enhance the system.

The chairman said that globally, governments alone do not fund the health system.

According to him, ensuring robust funding of the sector will require the commitment of certain percentage of philanthropists and factories’ annual profits.

He said that lack of adequate funding is a major contributor to the poor health indices in the country.

Olatunde explained that every occupation and even industry has its own health challenges on the populace, citing examples of cement and motorcycle riding occupation.

“By providing motorcycles to the masses, politicians should make provisions for orthopaadic hospital.

“This is because riding motorcycles, popularly known as `okada’, can expose them to a lot of accidents which will require emergency care.’’

Olatunde said: “Also, cement factory can predispose the citizens to upper respiratory tract infections among others.

“However, donating just a percentage of annual profit declaration to health care will not be out of place.’’

According to him, such tax will be used to fund and improve healthcare system to ensure availability, affordability and accessibility by all.

“We are suggesting at least one per cent of annual profits of factories.

“If we do and manage it effectively in the next four years, most of our health systems would have been transformed in terms of making them functional,’’ he said.

Olatunde further appealed to philanthropists to dedicate one or two per cent of their wealth to healthier care in order to cater for the health needs of the poor.

According to him, some people must be prepared to help others and there is need to understand that in assisting others, we are assisting ourselves.

He emphasised that by investing in the health of the poor, one is indirectly investing in one’s health.

According to him, the reality now is that government cannot fund the healthcare; all over the world philanthropists come up with policies to finance their health.h

“We must understand that if an epidemic broke out, it does not know the rich from the poor person like Ebola and Lassa Fever, it does not respect your social status or class.

“We are appealing to individuals to take a percentage or two from their wealth and commit it to an aspect of healthcare delivery.

“Like the HIV, Roll Back Malaria and others which some group tookt upon themselves to bear the financial burden,” he said.