Public Accounts Committee (PAC-1), while terming the performance of Punjab Health Foundation (PHF) as unsatisfactory, said the foundation had not initiated a single project with public-private partnership since its inception.The PAC-1 meeting was held under the chairmanship of acting Chairman Major (r) Rana Abdul Rehman on Friday due to Chaudhary Zaheer-ud-Din’s illness. The Committee raised concerns over the non-audit of 48 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), which had granted interest-free loans of Rs 1.5 million from the PHF in the last 18 years. PAC-1 directed PHF chairperson Dr Samaya Amjad to provide interest-free loans to young doctors, in addition to establishment of their clinics. The Committee also directed the PHF to run an advertisement campaign for provision of loans to young doctors. This, the Committee felt, would make the process swift.
They further directed the foundation to end the culture of red-tapism for provision of loans. The Committee maintained that officers of the PHF should scrutinise applications of young doctors instead of clerks, which would expedite the application process.
Members of PAC-1 including Mohsin Leghari, Syed Nazim Shah, Tariq Gujjar and Mehr Ishtiaq attended the meeting.