A recent report has revealed a concerning shortage of doctors at 246 primary health centers in Punjab, highlighting a major gap in healthcare services across the province.
The report shows that 32% of these centers have no doctors on-site, while 22% have doctors assigned but absent. Furthermore, 68% of the centers are staffed by just one doctor, and 10% have no medical professionals at all.
Punjab’s Health Minister, Khawaja Imran Nazir, acknowledged the issue and confirmed that the recruitment process for doctors is underway. He assured that deployment orders for new appointments will be issued soon to resolve the staffing shortages and enhance services at these health centers.
Areas with the most significant shortages include Faisalabad (22 centers), Okara (16 centers), and Sargodha (15 centers), along with Jhelum, Gujrat, Bahawalnagar, and Sialkot, which also have health centers without doctors.
The provincial health department has promised to take immediate action to address these gaps and ensure the proper staffing of these vital healthcare facilities.
