UPDF Commences Oxygen cylinders Production For State-Run Hospitals

There Is No Tax Levied On Oxygen Cylinders, URA Clarifies

Posted by: Suubi Anne in Uganda news June 22, 2021

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has clarified that all oxygen cylinders have no taxes levied on them. This has come at a time where oxygen has become a very huge necessity in treating covid.

“Medical oxygen is essential in the treatment of COVID-19 and oxygen gas cylinders/bottles or tanks are a known method used for the conveyance of oxygen to patients. They are described as pressure vessels used to store gases above atmospheric pressure. High-pressure oxygen gas cylinders are also often called bottles. oxygen gas cylinders are tax exempt”. The acting Assistant Commissioner, Public and Corporate Affairs, Ian Rumanyika said.

“Based on the aforementioned, oxygen gas cylinders are considered an essential tool used in diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and management of the COVID-19 pandemic and are therefore exempted from all taxes in line with the 5th Schedule of the East African Community Customs Management Act.”

However, besides it being inadequate, it is very expensive. Patients pay so expensively to have oxygen on them. Initially, the country thought URA highly taxes oxygen.

After this clarification though, it seems hospitals are simply taking advantage of the situation. In some hospitals, a patient has to pay Ugshs 100,000 to have oxygen daily.

Who is therefore to blame?

Clearly URA has cleared the air, oxygen cylinders have apparently become a problem. Government should find a way of solving this now.

The government should import more cylinders as soon as possible because we need to save lives.

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