COVID-19: Private Medical & Dental Practitioners Vex Gov't Over Exclusion From Relief Packages

The Society for Private Medical and Dental Practitioners has raised concerns over the exclusion of its members from the government’s three-month tax holiday given to some health professionals.

According to the private practitioners, the document from the Ministry of Health detailing the beneficiaries of the directive of the President only mentioned health workers in the public sector.

Speaking to Citi News, the General Secretary of the Society, Dr. Aramansa Barnor Forjoe said they are equally at risk as their colleagues in the public sector.

“I saw they were going to give a three-month tax rebate so why are our nurses and doctors not entitled to tax rebates? Please do not forget that we are providing healthcare to the nation. Remember that we are there. It is supposed to be a public-private partnership. They are supposed to sponsor the healthcare system and make it work so you need to check these things and then we will also come in and support.”

President Nana Akufo-Addo made the announcement for tax rebates during his fifth national address when he updated Ghanaians on the fight against the spread of the novel Coronavirus disease in the country.

While some groups have commended the President for providing reliefs for frontline health workers in the wake of COVID-19, some have expressed concerns over being sidelined.

The Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA) has, for instance, demanded that the government's stimulus package to frontline health personnel in the Coronavirus fight covers all nurses and midwives across the country since they all stand a risk of being infected.

Apart from those in the health sector, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called on the government to announce a stimulus package for frontline media practitioners.

Ghana currently has 313 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

---citinewsroom