The Punjab government has decided to outsource its Clinics on Wheels project, with the Health Department formally beginning the process to transfer the service to the private sector.
Under the decision, the administrative management of the project will be handed over to private operators. In addition, field-based mobile health units and rural ambulance services will also be run through private sector partnerships.
The Punjab Health Department has invited applications from private entities, with the deadline set for 26 January. As part of the outsourcing initiative, 791 Clinics on Wheels units and 590 rural ambulances will be transferred to private management.
Provincial Minister for Health and Population, Khawaja Imran Nazir, said the move aims to improve service delivery and strengthen the overall healthcare system.
He added that the government’s objective is to ensure medical facilities reach people at their doorsteps, particularly in underserved rural areas.
It is worth noting that in May last year, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the Clinics on Wheels project. Under the project, 200 clinics on wheels are currently providing healthcare services to 4 million people across the province.
The Punjab Chief Minister has also announced plans to provide state-of-the-art cardiology facilities in eight cities of Punjab, including Mianwali, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Jhelum, Sahiwal, Murree, and Layyah.