Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab Health Foundation (PHF) has decided to spend millions of rupees on hiring the services of consultants for revision of existing loan system as well as to design the mechanism for new loan schemes of the foundation, it was learnt.

At a time when the provincial government was facing challenges to ensure availability of basic health facilities and rectify problems being faced by patients in public hospitals, hiring the services of consultants for this purpose has raised several eyebrows in certain sectors of the department.

PHF was established under the PHF Act, 1992 with an aim to provide interest-free loans to MBBS/BDS doctors, as well as non-government organizations (NGOs) working in the health sector, to shift the burden from government hospitals and to provide quality health facility to common man.

Sources in the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education (SHE&ME) Department informed Daily Times that a meeting of the PHF board of directors was held under the chairmanship of Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique in which PHF Managing Director Dr Sohail Saqlian was also present.

Dr Saqlian told the participants that the financial and technical committee, in its 53rd meeting, approved hiring of consultants or a firm, as per the rules of Punjab Procurement Regularity Authority (PPRA), to review the existing loan system as well as to design the mechanism for new loan schemes.

Dr Saqlian told the meeting that a scrutiny and selection committee was constituted for the selection of consultants, adding that the committee scrutinised the credentials of three candidates namely Dr Muhammad Naeem, Dr Syed Asif Ali and Dr Muhammad Amjad Saqib.

After thorough investigation, he said, the committee recommended Dr Muhammad Amjad Saqib, representing crèche consultants for short consultancy, as consultant at $450 per day (Rs 47,700), on a lump sum package of Rs 1,908,000 for 40 days spread over four month, to review the existing loan system and designing of new loan schemes.

“Payment of consultancy charges would be made on submission of monthly invoice by the consultant, while offer letter along with terms of reference have also been recommended by the committee and was approved in principle by the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education secretary,” he added.

Another source revealed that PHF has given Rs 12.3 million to different doctors and NGOs, including Dr Samina Gul from Rawalpindi (Rs 0.3 million), Social welfare Society, Lahore (Rs 0.4 million), Dr Rasheed Arshad from Sheikhupura (Rs 0.8 million), Dr Sultan Ahmad from Faisalabad (0.9 million), Idara Khidmat-e-Awam, Muzaffargarh (0.6 million), Dr Mehar Muhammad Naeem from Multan (Rs one million), Dr Sadaf Yahia from Sialkot (Rs 0.3 million), Dr Abuzar Shirani from DG Khan (Rs 2.2 million), Dr Waheed Akhtar from Kasur (0.4 million), Zakria Welfare Development Association, Multan (Rs 1.3 million), Uplifting Community, Multan (Rs 1.4 million), Anjuman Maqbool Welfare Society, Narowal (Rs 0.9 million), Ehsas Welfare Society, Layyah (Rs 0.9 million) and Al Mahmood Welfare Organisation, Layyah (Rs 0.9 million). However, he added, PHF failed to recover the money from them.

Dr Saqlain informed that restructuring/revamping of PHF has been started on modern lines and the board has accorded approval to hire consultant according to PPRA rules in this regard. He said loans of Rs 40 million have been disbursed while recovery of Rs 7.5 million has been made from the defaulters.