Punjab govt to outsource ‘Clinic on Wheels’ project

LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to outsource its Clinic on Wheels project, with the Health Department formally initiating the process to hand over the service to the private sector.

Under the decision, administrative management of the project will be transferred 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 until 26 January. As part of the initiative, 791 ‘Clinic on Wheels’ units and 590 rural ambulances will be outsourced.

Provincial Minister for Health and Population, Khawaja Imran Nazir, said the move was aimed at improving service delivery and strengthening the overall healthcare system.

He added that the government’s objective was to ensure that medical facilities reach people at their doorsteps, particularly in underserved rural areas.

It is to be noted 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 providing health facilities to 4 million people of the province.

Pun jab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also announced to provide state of the art cardiology facilities in eight cities of Punjab including Mianwali, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Jhelum, Sahiwal, Murree and Layyah.