Daily Times

The Punjab Health Department introduced 45 more medical related professions to be qualified for interest free loans under the Punjab Health Foundation (PHF) self-support scheme in a Road Show held on Sunday.

While addressing the launching programme, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said that the Punjab government was providing public and private medical sector with necessary facilities alike.

“PHF in the first phase would provide 100,000 new job opportunities for medical professionals. Self-support scheme was an ideal programme to reduce pressure on public sector jobs. The canvas of this scheme would be extended gradually,” the minister said.

She told the participants of the Road Show that only professionals from private sectors including doctors, homeopaths, hakeems, telemedicine experts, home care, dental experts, nurses, health gyms and nurses would be helped out to establish their own business.

“Loans ranging from Rs 200,000 to Rs 2,500,000 would be distributed as Qarz-e-Hassna to more than 45 medical professions,” said Dr Yasmin Rashid. She also informed that applicants can apply online.

“The process on all applications being completed within 40 days,” she said.

The Punjab health minister expressed her satisfaction over the return ratio of interest free loans which stood to above 97 percent.

“People who return loans on time know that this amount would be utilised in helping more unemployed professionals to start their own businesses,” she said. Moreover setting up private clinics in far flung areas not only would provide health facilities at door step to the dwellers of same localities but would also reduce inclination to government jobs. She also expressed her satisfaction over transparency in PHF matters.

Specialised Health Secretary Saqib Zafar in his address said that this Road Show was the first public level programme for launching the loan scheme.

“I am happy that PHF has developed transparent system thanks to hardworking of its MD. The work burden of public health facilities would be automatically reduced by encouraging private medical businesses,” he said. The secretary also directed PHF to provide maximum facilities to the applicants. PHF MD Ajmal Bhatti said that the loan scheme was a major step to provide 10 million jobs under Prime Minister’s programme.

“A separate counseling cell has been established to provide consultancy to new comers,” he said.

Published in Daily Times, November 19^th 2018.