Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab Health Foundation (PHF) has approved interest-free small loans schemes, starting from Rs 0.2 million upto Rs 2.5 million, for nurses, allied health professionals, hakeems, homeopaths and MBBS doctors for setting up clinics in their fields to provide quality healthcare for public. All these computerised automation system schemes would be launched from next month.

This was announced by Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister on Health Kh Salman Rafique during a meeting on Tuesday. Interest-free loans of Rs 0.2 million and 0.7 million would be given on social collateral to the nurses, allied health professionals, hakeems, homeopaths and MBBS doctors for setting up of their clinics. However, they have to fulfill all other legal procedures and their registration with the Punjab Healthcare Commission would be the basic condition for getting loan.

Punjab Health Foundation Managing Director Dr Sohail Saqlain, PHF Consultant Prof Eice Muhammad, officers of finance, planning and development, social welfare, and population welfare departments along with representatives of Punjab IT Board, University of Health Scinces and other institutions attended the meeting.

Dr Sohail Saqlain briefed about the new schemes. It was informed that recovery of small loans would be completed in three years in soft installments. He said that interest-free loans of Rs 2.5 mikllion would be given to the doctors for setting up big clinics or purchase of medical equipment on social as well as physical collateral. He informed that PHF has chalked out a training programme for the general practitioners with the collaboration of UHS.

The medical ethics would be main components of this few weeks training. UHS has prepared training modules for this purpose while PITB has prepared automation project for small loans scheme and prepared a software. All process of sanctioning/releasing loans would be computerised.

Dr Saqlain said that computerised automation system would ensure merit and transparency in the procedures. He disclosed that all these schemes would be launched from next month.

Kh Salman Rafique said that the basic concept behind introducing small loan schemes from the platform of PHF was to strengthen the private health sector for the provision of quality health services to people and self-employment opportunities to doctors and other health professionals.