Jamshedpur, May 31: Bihar Jharkhand Sales Representative’s Union or BSSR Union (All India Federation-FMRAI) Union of Medical Representatives will stage protest at Sakchi roundabout on June 1 evening demanding ‘No GST’ on healthcare services.
According to a press communique issued on Wednesday, Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives Association of India (FMRAI) has called for strike as the union has been demanding for reduction in prices of medicines, pace makers and stents for cardiac angioplasty for the last 4 decades.
P R Gupta, president, BSSR Union, said, with GST taking its effect from 1st July it will further increase the price of medicines and medical devices. So we are demanding for ‘No GST’ on medicines and medical devices. He further said that we have also sent a letter to Prime Minister and finance minister in this regard.
Medicines related demands included to exempt medicines and medical devices from all duties and taxes and no GST for medicines and medical devices.
They also sought to impose price control on all medicines and medical devices like pacemakers, stents and implants, etc based on their production cost.
There should be no GST on healthcare services provided directly or indirectly with a final purpose of providing healthcare by the hospitals.
Any imposition of high GST on medical equipment would affect the overall cost structure of healthcare. Any increase in GST rate beyond the current tax structure, may dis-incentivize future investments in the private healthcare sector.
