Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Khawaja Salman Raffique has said that with a view to provide medical cover through qualified doctors to the local people at their door steps, to eradicate quackery from the society and to extend self employment opportunities to the unemployed doctors, the scope of Punjab Health Foundation is being expanded under which Smart Loan Scheme is being launched to provide soft loans to the young doctors. The Board of Directors of PHF has given approval for the same.
He expressed these views while talking to the media persons after the meeting of BODs of Punjab Health Foundation, here today. He disclosed that BODs has principally agreed to provide smart loan to the allied health professionals. He said that these loans would be sanctioned on personal guarantee. The limit of these loans would be up to Rs. 0.7 million. Moreover, PHF is already providing interest-free loans to the doctors from Rs. 1.2 million to Rs. 2.5 million. Khawaja Salman Raffique while appreciating the administrative skills of Dr. Suhail Saqlain said that new MD has made the foundation vibrant within two months and so far, loans of Rs. 40 million has been disbursed while recovery of Rs.75 lakh has been made from the defaulters. Dr. Suhail Saqlain informed that restructuring/ revamping of Punjab Health Foundation has been started on modern lines.
Earlier, the meeting of Board of Directors of PHF held under the chair of the Advisor on Health Khawaja Salman Raffique. Besides, MD Dr. Suhail Saqlain, Member Health P&D Dr. Shabana Haider, senior officers of Finance, Social Welfare, Population Welfare Departments, Punjab Information Technology Board and Punjab Healthcare Commission were attended the meeting. Representative of DFID Dr. Anwar Janjua was also present in the meeting. The meeting approved setting up of Vision Clinics to overcome the blindness and early diagnoses of eye diseases. These clinics would be set up with the collaboration of Institute of Ophthalmology, King Edward Medical University. The meeting agreed with the proposal to provide soft loans to the Allied Health Professionals. Chairman Akhuwat Foundation Dr. Amjad Saqib would extend consultancy in preparing SOPs and TORs for these loan scheme. Punjab Information Technology Board is providing technical assistance for shifting the whole system of PHF on automation. Dr. Suhail Saqlain informed that, in future all process of sanctioning of loans would be made paperless and all formalities would be carried out online. He said that online system would not only promote transparency and merit in the system but also save the precious time. Later, Khawaja Salman Raffique distributed cheques of interest-free loans of Rs. 10 million among ten doctors.