Studies found that patients who experience severe symptoms of COVID-19 also have comorbidities like cancer, cardiovascular diseases (e.g. hypertension), liver and kidney diseases. Therefore, reducing the prevalence of co-morbid diseases can reduce the possibility of COVID-19 patients experiencing serious illness, and increase the prognosis of the treatments. Some comorbidities are caused by unhealthy lifestyles such as lack of exercise, unhealthy diet, tobacco use (incl. smoking), and alcohol consumption. Increasing cigarette price is one of the targeted policies in tackling the smoking problem that could be done mainly by fiscal policy, with tax considered as the most effective policy to reduce tobacco consumption.
In response to this, Center of Islamic Economics and Business (CIEB) Faculty of Economics and Business Universitas Indonesia in collaboration with International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) are going to hold a webinar titled "Raising Tax To Finance Public Health System in Responding to COVID-19 and Preventing Future Pandemics" on July 9, 2020.
Within this post, we share the materials presented by Dr. Frederico Gil Sander - Lead Country Economist, World Bank Indonesia, Jeremias N. Paul Jr., Coordinator of The Tobacco Control Economics, WHO and Dr. Hana Ross as Technical Advisor - Tax, The Union
