SEND Ghana is calling on government to convert the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy into a public health emergency fund.
This follows President Akufo-Addo’s announcement to maintain the 1% COVID-19 Levy after indicating an end to COVID-19 in Ghana.
Speaking on Starr Today on Starr FM, Deputy Country Director of SEND Ghana, Emmanuel Ayifah, observed that his outfit together with some civil society groups is hoping that government will consider a public health emergency fund as a buffer to combat future health crisis.
“The government should not disband COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy but try to convert it into a public health emergency fund and also let Ghanaians see how much was left in the Trust Fund so that we can all rally around to establish the Fund. So that in the event of any future eventuality which is bound to happen, the issue is that once that happens, it is going to help us we don’t have to run helter skelter looking for money because the Fund will be critical in helping to increase resilience in Ghana’s health system and also prepare for us to respond in times of public health emergency. Once we do that I think that it will rather help us as a country.”
Emmanuel Ayifa also admonished government to be transparent about its use of the Fund.
“Our call for the need for government to be up and doing as far as the expenditure of the Fund is concerned is very clear. It is evident that we didn’t manage that well and that is why we think that if Ghanaians are calling for scrapping of the fund, government needs to show some level of transparency out there and tell us how much is left so that we can still rally around to get the revenue to be used for the establishment of public health emergency fund.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
