The Finance and Technical Committee of the Punjab Health Foundation has approved provision of interest-free loans of up to Rs 67.6 million to 30 doctors for setting up clinics and buying equipment. On Friday, Federation Managing Director Izhar Ahmad Sheikh briefed the meeting about the procedure of releasing and recovery of the loans. He said, "The Health Foundation is increasing from a loan of Rs 0.8 million to Rs 2.5 million and the ratio of recovery is 96 percent."
Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah called for reviewing the terms and conditions for issuance of interest free loans by the Punjab Health Foundation to the doctors. He also called for amendments to be brought into the concerned rules to waive-off the loans of the doctors who died after getting the loan.
The health secretary said that conditions for the loan eligibility should be made flexible so that doctors should never be dependent on revenue officials. He also said the federation officers and legal experts should review the conditions. Secretary Shah said the rules and regulations of the Punjab Health Foundation should be made more doctor-friendly and necessary amendments should be introduced in the rules for waving-off the remaining instalments of the loan of the doctors who had died after getting the loan. Those also attending were committee members Qamrul Islam Lodhi, Deputy Managing Director Mehboob Ahmad and Akhter Hussain.