In this pandemic time when our country is fighting against Coronavirus Outbreak, the medical organizations have asked the government to think about eliminating GST on sanitizer products and masks Grab the information of revised GST slab rates on consumer products in India, Although the GST council finalized the slab rates like 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%. Read more in this epidemic time. Sandeep Sharma, President of Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) Delhi branch said in a statement that “We understand that certain ingredients (in sanitizers) are taxable, still, in these difficult times or at least for next few months, hand sanitizers should not attract GST,” Sharma further added, “hospitals, ambulance, nursing and support staff desperately require sanitizers, masks, and other protective equipment in 24×7 mode”.
Sharma, who is in coordination with all leading chains of some top private hospitals and doctors also said that “We require all these items in bulk, but at present, we are paying 18 percent GST Rates on sanitizers and 5 percent on masks, etc. Besides, medical practitioners and the public at large also require hand sanitizer and masks as a major preventive measure to keep away from the highly infectious virus. It would be a big relief for people if GST is not levied on these items,”.
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Meanwhile, Roy K George, President of the Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI), has urged to all the state governments to assure the urgent and smooth supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), and all the essential items such as protective masks and sanitizers to help patients and fight against the spread of the dangerous disease to the medical staff. George said that “Our state associations, particularly from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, have informed us that adequate supply of PPEs, masks, and sanitizer has to be provided to the nurses and other medical staff,” He further added that, “What happened in Mumbai, where 26 nurses tested positive for COVID-19 in private hospitals, suggest that frontline soldiers of this war against virus need more attention in terms of equipment and medical kits.”
Meanwhile, the Trained Nurses Association of India or TNAI, established in 1908, and it has 6 lakh nurses as its members. With this large number of nurses, it is one of the largest associations of nurses in the world. TNAI has postponed all its celebrations related to the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, who was a legendary social reformer along with the founder of modern nursing.
Read Also: GST Impact on Healthcare Industry in India 
While doctors and nurses worldwide are providing their best in combat against the life-threatening disease, the World Health Organization has declared the year 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife in honour of Florence Nightingale.
