LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid on Sunday formally introduced another 45 medical-related professions which qualified for interest-free loans under the Punjab Health Foundation (PHF) self-support scheme.
While addressing the launching programme, the health minister said that the Punjab government was providing public and private medical sector with necessary facilities alike.
Inauguration of a program aiming to provide interest free loans to private medical institutions with the intent of causing a snowball effect to culminate into better medical facilities In sha Allah#PTIPunjabHealthReforms pic.twitter.com/uC7jxvdEHi
— Dr. Yasmin Rashid (@Dr_YasminRashid) November 18, 2018
“PHF in a 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. Area of this scheme would be extended gradually,” said the minister.
She told the participants of the “Road Show” that only professionals from private sectors including doctors, homeopaths, hakims, telemedicine experts, home care, dental experts, nurses, health gyms and nurses would be helped out to establish their own business.
“Loans ranging from Rs 2-25 lac would be distributed as ‘Qarz-e-Hassna’ to more than 45 medical professions,” said Dr Rashid. She also said the applicants can apply online.
*Reduce employment pressure on state medical facilities to ensure quality care and reduce wait time for treatment
*Upgrade and improve both private and public health care to standardise them according to international standard.
#PTIPunjabHealthReforms— Dr. Yasmin Rashid (@Dr_YasminRashid) November 18, 2018
“Process on all applications being completed within 40 days,” she said, expressing her satisfaction over the return ratio of interest-free loans which stood to above 97 per cent. She said, “People who return loans in time know that this amount would be utilised in helping more jobless professionals to start their own business.”
She was of the view that setting up private clinics in far-flung areas would not only provide health facilities at the doorstep to the dwellers of same localities but also reduce the inclination to the government jobs. She also expressed her satisfaction over the transparency in PHF matters.
