LAHORE: Professionals of another 45 medical-related disciplines will now be eligible to get interest-free loans under the self-support scheme of the Punjab Health Foundation (PHF).

An announcement to the effect was made by Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid at the launching ceremony of a ‘road show’ here on Sunday.

She said that in the first phase, the PHF would provide 100,000 new job opportunities for medical professionals.

Calling the self-support scheme an ideal programme to reduce pressure on public sector jobs, the minister said the scope of the scheme would be extended gradually.

The minister said doctors, homoeopaths, hakims, telemedicine, homecare and dental experts, health gymnasium professionals and nurses of the private sector would be helped out to establish their own businesses.

“Loans ranging from Rs200,000 to Rs2.5 million would be given as ‘Qarz-i-Hassna’ to the professionals of more than 45 medical-related disciplines,” said Dr Yasmin. She said the applications for seeking loans would be received online and the process on all applications would be completed within 40 days.

Expressing satisfaction over the above 97pc return ratio of the interest-free loans, she said it showed people believe that the amount would be utilised in helping more jobless professionals to start their own business. “Setting up of private clinics in far-flung areas will not only provide health facilities at doorstep to the masses but will also help reduce trend of seeking government jobs,” she said

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2018