PESHAWAR, June 9: The provincial government has given up plans to set up an endowment fund worth Rs500 million for the treatment of five major diseases, apparently after the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal objected to the interest-based investment scheme, an official said here on Monday.

Describing the scheme as being the “brainchild” of the previous government, he said that the scheme would have eased the sufferings of the poor patients in this regard, paying their medical charges from its mark-up.

The scheme, he said, was shelved after the removal of the previous government.

At the time when the MMA government had taken charge, he said, it was only a rough idea, borrowed from its predecessor.

The idea was to provide free treatment at public sector hospitals to poor patients suffering from hepatitis, cancer, TB and renal, asthmatic and cardiac ailments, he said.

He said that at the time when the MMA government had taken charge, it had been only a rough idea borrowed from its predecessor.

The idea, which could have benefited the poor, dissipated after the provincial government failed to formulate an appropriate package and invest the amount in a bank run on Islamic principles of finance.

Earlier, NWFP’s senior minister Sirajul Haq had indicated the government’s intention to invest the amount, likely to be set aside for this purpose, in saving schemes.

However, the plan had to be abandoned after the stiff stand of the MMA’s leaders against utilisation of the interest money on the treatment of the patients.

Officials said that a one-time allocation amounting to Rs600 million had been provided in the next fiscal year to provide free life-saving drugs to the patients at the government-run hospitals.

A few months ago, the MMA government had announced that free medicines would be provided to the patients being treated in the emergency wards of the public sector hospitals.

Officials said that the casualty ward of the city’s biggest hospital, Lady Reading Hospital, would start providing free medicines from July 1.

The official said that Rs600 million had been made part of the provincial budget for the year 2003-4.

This amount, he said, would be allocated for the purchase of life-saving drugs for the poor patients.

Previously, last month, the government had started providing life saving drugs to the poor patients at 10 per cent discount at the Lady Reading Hospital.