The Federal Government should impose special taxes on alcohol, cigarettes and sugar-sweetened beverages to improve primary healthcare.
This was disclosed by the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri, in Abuja on Friday.
He spoke during the special National Council on Health meeting organised by the Federal Ministry of Health.
“If we want to improve healthcare in Nigeria, we need to tax the things that are killing us.
“The economic rationale for taxing these products is strong if we want to save lives and make a better and healthier Nigeria,” he said.
Chaudhuri said taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages would reduce the health risks associated with their consumption and expand fiscal space for universal health coverage post-COVID-19.
The World Bank chief said investing in stronger health system for all would contribute to tackling rising poverty and inequality.
He said health tax increases would have the additional advantage of reducing future healthcare costs by curbing the growth of non-communicable diseases that tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages cause.
