Rawalpindi:
Due to a severe financial and economic crisis and a significant shortage of funds in the province, the Department of Health of Punjab, after abolishing the 30,000 vacant positions of Bs 1 to Bs 18, has approved the sale of 90 basic health units (BHU) and the Rural Health Centers (RHC) in the Rawalpindi division under a cost savings project.
In addition, a decision to transfer 1,000 BHU through Punjab to the private sector has been made. These include 971 centers operating 24 hours a day and 11 that operate for six hours. The Government will pay RS893,000 monthly to administer these centers.
In the second phase, as of July 1, 2025, all permanent employees of Bhus and RHCS will be fired from the service, while daily salary and contract employees will also be terminated immediately after transferring to the private sector.
The employees of these Buh and RHC in Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Atock and Jehlum have protested against this decision, organizing strikes and celebrating great demonstrations in protest on Thursday.
The affected bhus include 17 from atock, 80 from bahawalnagar, 48 from bahawalpur, 21 from bhakkar, 22 from chakwal, SEVEN FROM CHITINO, 22 FROM DERA GHAZI KHAN, 28 FROM FAISALABAD, 25 FROM GUJRANWALA, 16 FROM GUJRAT, 8 FROM Jehlum, 17 from jhang, 20 from Kasur, 59 from Khushab, Five from Lahore, 24 from Layyah, 29 from Lodhran, 14 from Mandi Bahauddin, 15 from Mianwali, 53 FROM FINE, 56 FROM MUZAFFARGRH, 16 FROM NANKANA SAhib, 18 FROM NAROWAL Okara, 17 from Pakpattan, 74 from Rahim Yar Khan, 16 from Rajanpur, 20 from Rawalpindi, 16 from Sahiwal, 35 from Sargodha, 26 of Sheikhupura, 19 of Sialkot, 24 of Toba Tek Singh and 52 of Vehari.
Health employees have formed action committees and announced plans for a large -scale protest after Eidul Fitr. The union leaders representing health employees have declared that in the first phase, the Government will transfer all Bu to the private sector and provide financial assistance for three months. After that, financial aid will be cut abruptly, leaving employees at the mercy of private owners.
This movement will result in the termination of 200,000 employees before December 31, 2025. To protest this decision, union leaders have communicated with the Association of Employees of Pakistan (Punjab) and agigates for mass protests after EID.
The decision to privatize the BUH and the RHCS has caused a generalized concern and the opposition throughout the province. Health workers fear that the privatization of these centers will lead to labor insecurity, and the termination of thousands of employees will create a domino effect on health services, leaving many without stable employment or adequate medical care.
With union leaders who ask for protests after Eidul Fitr, the situation is expected to increase, since workers demand the reversal of these decisions and the protection of their work. The government movement has lit debates about the long -term impact on public health infrastructure, since many believe that this will further weaken the health system already tense, especially in rural areas.
