Customs duty exemption on imported drugs & equipment for HIV
Central government has decided to exempt the customs duty on the imported drugs and equipment for HIV keeping in view the public interest and the greater good that these drugs will bring to the people suffering. The customs notification has revealed that the complete custom duty levied on the goods and also the additional duty levied there on subjected to the importer produces will be exempted. The drugs such as Anti-Retroviral Drugs and also the diagnostic and equipment fall under the exemption, which would now give the sigh of relief to the importers. However the charge is levied prior to the clearance of the said goods, either before the Assistant Commissioner of Customs or Deputy Commissioner of Customs having Jurisdiction, a certificate from an officer who is not below the rank of Deputy Secretary to the GoI, in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. These goods are largely required for the National AIDS Control Programme funded by Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. The exemption will hold its effect till March 31, 2016. The exemption will serve the ARV drugs on all levels, i.e for Adult First Line, Adult Second Line and Paediatric Drugs. World Health organization has recommended the use of the ARV drugs for the prevention of HIV infection, distinctly to pregnant women, young women and a large population who are more exposed to the HIV risk since 2013. As per the WHO standards, the Anti-retroviral drugs consists of combination of at least three ARV drugs, which would largely suppress the HIV virus and stop the progression of the disease.
June 11, 2015 | 10:21 pm IST.
to success.