Rawalpindi:
Due to a serious financial and economic crisis and a significant shortage of funds in the province, the Punjab health department, after having suppressed the 30,000 BS 1 to BS 18 vacancies, approved the sale of 90 basic health units (BHUS) and rural health centers (RHCS) in the Rawalpindi division in the context of a project of cost economy.
In addition, a decision was made to transfer 1,000 Bhus through Punjab in the private sector. These include 971 centers that operate 24 hours a day that operate for six hours. The government will pay 893,000 rupees per month to manage these centers.
In the second phase, from July 1, 2025, all permanent employees of Bhus and RHCs will be rejected from the service, while daily employees and contract employees will also be terminated immediately after transfer to the private sector.
The employees of these Bhus and RHCs in Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Attock and Jehlum protested this decision, staged and organizing major rallies in protest on Thursday.
The bhus concerned include 17 from Attock, 80 from Bahawalnagar, 48 from Bahawalpur, 21 years from Bhakkar, 22 years from Chakwal, seven from Chiniot, 22 years from Dera Ghazi Khan, 28 years of Faithbad, 25 Khushab, five of Lahore, 24 of Layyah, 29 of Lodhran, 14 of Mandi Bahauddin, 15 Mianwali, 53 from Multan, 56 from Muzaffargarh, 16 years from Nankana Sahib, 18 from Narowal, 31 of Okara, 17 from Pakpattan, 74 from Rahim Yar, 16 Sahiwal, 35 years old from Sargodha, 26 years from Sheikhupura, 19 from Sialkot, 24 from Toba Tek Singh, and 52 of vehicle.
Health employees have formed action committees and announced plans for a large -scale demonstration after Eidul Fitr. Union leaders representing health employees said that in the first phase, the government will transfer all Bhus to the private sector and provide financial assistance for three months. After that, the financial aid will be suddenly cut, leaving the employees at the mercy of the private owners.
This decision will result in the termination of 200,000 employees by December 31, 2025. To protest this decision, the union leaders contacted All Pakistan Clerks Association (Punjab) and Agiga for mass demonstrations after Eid.
The decision to privatize Bhus and the RHC aroused generalized concerns and opposition in the province. Health agents fear that the privatization of these centers will lead to employment insecurity, and that the cessation of thousands of employees will create a training effect on health services, leaving a lot of stable employment or adequate health care.
Union leaders calling for demonstrations after Eidul FITR, the situation should degenerate, as workers demand the reversal of these decisions and the protection of their employment. The government’s decision has triggered debates on the long -term impact on public health infrastructure, because many believe that this will further weaken the already tense health system, especially in rural areas.