The Ministry of Health has made it clear that it does not support the ???fat tax??? which was proposed by a member of the public at the second town hall meeting on healthcare financing on February 9.
In a statement released at the third town hall meeting at The Alexandra School last night, the Ministry noted that while it appreciated the comments and contributions being made by the public on healthcare financing, the concept of a ???fat tax??? was not the position of the Ministry, nor was it supported in anyway as an approach to addressing healthcare financing in Barbados.
???Such a tax would be discriminatory and is contrary to the principles of universal health coverage which advocate for equal access to healthcare services, regardless of health, social or economic status,??? the statement maintained.
The final two town hall meetings, designed to canvass public opinion on healthcare financing, take place on Tuesday, February 23, at the Christ Church Parish Church Centre, Church Hill, Christ Church, and on Monday, February 29, at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael. They begin at 7:00 each night.
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