11 March,2011 06:58 AM IST | | Priyanjali Ghose
Around 1,000 doctors from across the country will observe March 12 as 'Misery Day' to show their disapproval of the proposed tax hike in the recent health budget.
IN a move to show solidarity with the common man over easing the burden of medical expenses they may incur, doctors stepped in to fight a recent development seen in the new budget. About 1,000 doctors from across the country will observe March 12 as Misery Day to show their disapproval of the proposed tax hike in the medical budge. They'll meet the Finance Minister with a petition highlighting the same.
For the people: The decision to observe Misery Day was taken after
the Union government proposed a 5% service tax on health care
Representation pic
"People are being pushed further into misery with the rise in fuel prices, edibles and now healthcare. The general public must mark March 12 as Misery Day. This will help mount pressure on the government to reconsider tax hike in healthcare," said P H Mishra, Indian Spinal Injury Center, Delhi, who is also a part of the doctors' team.
Devi Shetty, a city-based cardiologist, said that on March 12, doctors would be requesting every citizen to buy a 50-paisa envelope from the post office and send it to the finance minister.
The decision to observe Misery Day was taken after the Union government proposed a 5 per cent service tax on health care in the recent budget. A five per cent addition tax will be levied on air-conditioned private hospitals with more than 25 beds.
"How can you justify service tax on health care and diagnostics? On the one hand, we want equitable growth, while on the other we are taxing health care. As it is, only 8 to 10 per cent of the population can afford health care," said Shetty.
But the director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology, C N Manjunath, said whether or not Misery Day will be a success, remains the question. However, though he supports the cause of the medical fraternity, he will not go to Delhi.
"I do wish the tax is reduced. I don't know how the finance ministry is looking at it. We have to wait and see what develops. There might be a practical roll back, but not complete," he said.
Implications
For heart surgery worth Rs 1 lakh, you pay Rs 5,000 more to the Government as service tax.
For cancer treatment followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, you have to shell out an extra Rs 20,000u00a0as service tax.
