Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) Organized pre budget “National Dialogue on Disadvantages of Sugary Drinks to Health and Economy”.It was presided by President PANAH Major General (retd) Masood-ur-Rehman Kayani and hosted by General Secretary Sanaullah Ghumman.. Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah, Federal Tax Ombudsman attended as a special guest. Accompanying Pran on the occasion was Advisor Federal Tax Ombudsman Sarwat Habib, Mr. Munawar Hussain, Dr. Abdul Basit, General Secretary at Diabetic Association of Pakistan ,Consultant Food Policy Program at Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Dr. Baseer Achakzai, Director, Nutrition, Ministry of National Health Services, Dr. Khawaja Masuood Ahmed, National Coordinator Nutrition and NFA at Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and other experts from tax policy, health and media.
President PANAH Major General (retd) Masood-ur-Rehman Kaini welcomed the guests and said that sugary drinks are posing significant threat to health and economy of the country. Government is currently struggling to deal with petroleum prices and trying means and ways to keep the petroleum prices down.
Dr. Asif Mehmood Jah, Federal Tax Ombudsman said that the work of PANAH is remarkable. Sugary drinks are poison killers, which must be prevented.We are with them PANAH. Try always to Adopt life principles of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),like Live a Simple Life,Drink water instead of sugary drinks. Clean and fresh water is good for health, people in Balochistan still drink dirty water.We have installed 1200 wells in Tharparkar. PANAH is also working well. We fully agree to increase the tax of sugar sweetened beverages. We have forwarded the suggestions to the FBR. The Federal Ombudsman will work together with PANAH.
PANAh GS Sana Ullah Ghumman said that Raising tax on sugary drinks could provide a double benefit to government. It will reduce the hospital expenditure and also help generating revenue which could be an alternative to petroleum levy.
Mr. Munawar Hussain, Consultant at Global Health Advocacy Incubators said that there is enough global and local evidence supporting increase tax on sugary drinks. He said that a recent study by world bank clearly indicate that progressively increased taxes on SSBs will reduce its consumption, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and other chronic diseases. The major impact will be on reduction of obesity and diabetes, however, the reduction in cardiovascular diseases will also be significant. The study also reflects that larger the tax, the larger will be the health gain. Another important findings from study reflects that the average tax revenue in the first 10 years after imposing higher tax will be significantly greater than the current revenue collected through SSB taxes in Pakistan. He said that raising tax on SSBs have substantial benefits both in term of increased revenue and keeping the people alive and healthy. He concluded that Ministry of Finance and Federal Board of Revenue should impose higher taxes on all types of sugary drinks including sodas, juices, energy drinks, iced tea, flavored milk and other drinks containing added sugar in the upcoming budget scheduled to be presented in national Assembly on 10th of June 2022.
Dr. Basir Achakzai, Director, Nutrition, Ministry of National Health Services said that it is public health emergency in Pakistan with alarmingly high number of people living with diabetes and other NCDs. He added that sugary drinks are not an essential food item, these are high in free sugar and have no or limited nutritional value. Sugary drinks can include everything from sodas to flavored milks, and juices. These are harmful to our health and are one of the major reason for overweight, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Khawaja Masuood Ahmed, National Coordinator Nutrition and NFA at Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination said that Health Ministry is pursuing with FBR and Ministry of Finance for raising taxes on all types of sugary drinks to minimum of 20% in the upcoming budget of 2022-23, scheduled to be presented in National Assembly on 10th June.
Dr. Abdul Basit, General Secretary at Diabetic Association of Pakistan said while addressing to the dialogue that number of people living with diabetes have increased from 19.4 million in 2019 to 33 million in 2021. This has a serious consequences on our economy and no country could provide treatment to such a large number of people. As sugary drinks are among the major reasons, the Government must take all possible measures to deal with diabetic emergency in Pakistan. We fully support raising tax on all type of sugary drinks.
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Caption:
Participants in an important national dialogue on pre-budget PANAH-administered “sugary drinks, health and the harms to the economy”.
Group photo of participants in the main National Dialogue on “Sugary Drinks, Health and the Harm to the Economy” pre-budget under the auspices of PANAH.