A recent ‘shocking’ report has revealed that 246 primary health centers in Punjab are currently without doctors, exposing a critical shortage in healthcare facilities across the province.
According to the findings, 32% of health centers have no doctor on-site, while 22% have doctors assigned but are absent from duty.
The report highlights that 68% of these centers are staffed with only one doctor, and 10% have no medical expert assigned at all.
Health Minister of Punjab, Khawaja Imran Nazir, acknowledged the issue, stating that the recruitment process for doctors is ongoing. He assured that deployment orders for new appointments will be issued soon to address the shortages and improve the situation at these health centers.
Some areas facing the most significant deficits include Faisalabad with 22 centers, Okara with 16, and Sargodha with 15 centers lacking doctors. Additionally, Jhelum, Gujrat, Bahawalnagar, and Sialkot have several health centers without medical professionals.
The provincial health department has vowed to make necessary appointments to replace absent doctors and fill the gaps in medical staff at these critical facilities.
