Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid launched the annual progress report of the Punjab Health Foundation 2019-20 at a local hotel on Thursday. Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Capt (Retd) Usman Younus, Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Nabeel Awan, Special Secretary PSH Department Ajmal Bhatti, Managing Director Punjab Health Foundation Ms. Kiran Khurshid, Principal Ameeruddin Medical College Prof. Sardar Al-Farid and a number of health professionals participated in the event. The Minister said it is the primary duty of a state to create employment opportunities for people. “We have provided over 300 interest free loans to health professionals creating thousands of employment opportunities overall. The team has also developed proposal to increase the limit of loans from 7 lakh to 15 lakh. The loans recovery ratio of PHF is 98 per cent. The MD of PHF Ms. Kiran Khurshid deserves congratulation for top quality services. General Practitioners play key important role on health system of a country. We are trying our best to facilitate them,” the Minister said. Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Nabeel Awan said that one year progress of the PHF is praiseworthy and the team deserves congratulations that. MD PHF Kiran Khurshid said her team is working hard to further improve the performance of the PHF. She expressed gratitude to the Minister for launching the annual report of the Foundation. Moreover, Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid attended 22nd Annual International Hematology Conference as chief guest at a local hotel today. Vice Chancellor FJMU Prof. Amir Zaman Khan, Dr. Nisar, Dr. Tahir Shamsi, Gen.(R) Sohaib, Prof. Mehmood Khursheed, Prof. Mufti, Dr. Hayee and other medical experts attended in the conference in a large number. Addressing the participants of the conference, Dr. Yasmeen Rashid said that Gen.(R) Sohaib played a pivotal role in starting and success of Thalassemia programme in Punjab. It is very important to create awareness among the people regarding protection from any disease. She said that all the school children of Punjab will be screened through CM school nutrition screening programme. She said that FJMU is being made the best research center. The minister said that haematology is of vital importance in medical world. She congratulated the doctors who rendered the best services in the world of haematology. Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid paid a surprise visit to Shahdra Teaching Hospital. Vice Chancellor FJMU Prof. Dr. Zaman Khan was accompanied by her. The minister also visited newly constructed Govt. Paramedical Teaching School and Nursing College. She inquired after the patients in different wards and reviewed cleanliness arrangements. MS Govt. Teaching Hospital Shahdra gave information regarding medical facilities being provided in the hospital. She directed the MS to provide maximum facilities to the patients in the hospital. The Minister said that the purpose of the surprise visit to the hospital is to review the medical facilities being provided to the patients. She said that we should create facilities for the patients and we are striving hard to provide maximum relief to the patients in the health sector.