October 06, 2008	Monday	Shawwal 06, 1429

LAHORE, Oct 5: Interest-free loans are being provided to doctors and non-government organizations (NGOs) to establish hospitals and clinics for promoting public-private partnership in healthcare.

Punjab Population Welfare Minister Neelam Jabbar Chaudhry said this while talking to a delegation of doctors and NGOs here on Sunday.

The minister said private healthcare and educational institutions were playing an active role for the promotion of latest education and healthcare facilities in the country.

She said loans were being given for the establishment of healthcare institutions in small towns and remote areas for ensuring provision of medical services to masses at affordable cost and even free-of-cost.

The government, she said, was also taking effective measures to prevent fire-burn incidents and provide medical treatment facilities to the burnt patients.

NGOs would also be offered all possible assistance for holding seminars/workshops for creating awareness about the treatment of burnt patients and training doctors and paramedics for the purpose.

Train march: Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Qazi Husain Ahmad will travel by four trains and address over 60 public meetings during a train march from Oct 7 to 15.

Qazi will start the train march by Awam Express from Peshawar on Oct 7 and reach Lahore the same day. He will travel from Lahore to Multan by Khyber Mail on Oct 8, Multan to Rohrti onboard Shah Rukan-i-Aalam Express on Oct 14 and travel to Karachi on Awam Express on Oct 15.