Key Takeaways
- Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has launched the Punjab Health Connect Programme.
- The initiative aims to enhance healthcare in government hospitals through international collaboration.
- Leading doctors and surgeons will provide free treatment and training in advanced techniques.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has officially launched the Punjab Health Connect Programme, a groundbreaking initiative designed to improve public healthcare services across the province. The programme aims to bring world-class medical expertise from overseas Pakistani and foreign specialists into government hospitals.
Under this initiative, leading doctors and surgeons with at least three years of clinical experience after fellowship will provide free medical treatment in 12 tertiary care hospitals of Punjab. These include orthopaedic, cardiac, aesthetic, burns, neurosciences, and children’s hospitals. The programme also includes a modern online portal, www.punjabhealthconnect.gov.pk, for transparent management.
Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif stated that the initiative is part of her government's commitment to providing healthcare facilities of international standards in Punjab’s public hospitals. She added, 'The provincial healthcare system is being transformed in accordance with global standards.'
Dr Khawaja Salman Rafique, Provincial Health Minister, highlighted the programme as a practical manifestation of Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif’s vision: ‘Every citizen of Punjab should have access to world-class medical facilities in their own province.’ He further explained that the expertise of Pakistani-origin and international medical experts serving around the world will be transferred to the people of Punjab.
The programme is being launched under the Punjab Local Hiring Act 2025. Specialists can serve individually or with their complete clinical team, including nursing and other supporting medical staff. The minimum period of service has been fixed at seven days. All services provided under the programme will be completely free for patients.
In the first phase, eight super specialties are being introduced in these 12 hospitals. These include orthopaedic, cardiac, aesthetic, burns, neurosciences, and children’s hospitals. The initiative aims to address the shortage of specialist doctors in government hospitals by bringing international medical expertise and experience to the province.
The online portal will manage all steps including registration, document verification, placement, payments, and performance monitoring through a digital system. This ensures transparency and efficiency in the programme's operations.
'Punjab Health Connect is a practical manifestation of the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif that every citizen of Punjab should have access to world-class medical facilities in their own province.'
Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, Provincial Health Minister
