National Human Rights Commission, NHRC has issued notices to Union Finance and Health Ministry over reported imposition of excise duty on life saving drugs making them costlier. Taking suo motu cognizance of the media report, NHRC issued notices to the secretaries of both the ministries and sought a report within four weeks.
The media report said that the Central Government has removed a custom duty waiver and also imposed excise duty on certain life saving drugs making them costlier for the patients. NHRC said, it has observed that at a time when the healthcare system in the country as a whole is plagued with various ills and any action that pushes up the cost of medicines is bound to adversely affect people’s right to healthcare.