Punjab to Hire 40,000 Doctors and Health Staff, CT Scanner for Every District
Punjab's chief minister ordered 40,000 doctors and health staff hired, a CT scanner in every district and telemedicine centres. What was decided, what is next.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed that 40,000 doctors and allied health professionals be recruited for hospitals across the province. She gave the order at a video-link meeting on Friday 25 September 2026, according to the Punjab government's Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR).
The same meeting ordered a new CT scan machine for every district, telemedicine centres where patients can see a doctor by video call, and a monthly "Hospital of the Month" award. The heads of four hospitals were removed over poor performance.
This is a directive, not a job advert. The statement does not say when the 40,000 posts will be advertised, which grades they cover or how to apply. We read the DGPR statement in full.
Punjab plans to recruit 40,000 doctors and allied health staff
The chief minister directed the recruitment of 40,000 doctors and allied health professionals for Punjab's hospitals. The meeting was also told how many posts had already been filled. No timeline, pay scale or application process was announced for the new posts.
"Allied health professionals" usually means staff such as nurses, technicians and pharmacists who work alongside doctors. The statement does not break the 40,000 figure down by job.
These are the figures for staff already recruited or posted, as given to the meeting:
| Staff already recruited or posted | Number |
|---|---|
| Lady health visitors (LHVs) | 7,572 |
| Support staff | 5,048 |
| Doctors | 2,524 |
| Women medical officers | 2,482 |
| Consultants | 408 |
| Cardiologists | 32 |
That adds up to about 18,000 people. The new target is more than twice that.
If you are a doctor or health worker hoping to apply, wait for an official advertisement from the Punjab government. Be careful with job messages on WhatsApp or social media that ask for a fee to "reserve" a post. The same checks that apply to overseas job agencies apply here: an official advert names the department, the posts and the closing date.
A CT scanner in every district and telemedicine centres
The chief minister ordered a new CT scan machine for every district of Punjab. She also directed the setting up of telemedicine centres for seasonal and common diseases, where patients can consult a doctor by video call and be referred to a hospital if needed.
The DGPR statement says the telemedicine centres will also help patients book appointments with the right ward, laboratory or other facility. It does not say how many centres there will be, where they will open or when.
A CT scan is a detailed X-ray image of the inside of the body, used for injuries, strokes and cancers. A machine in each district only helps once it is installed and has trained staff to run it, and the statement gives no date for either.
The meeting also decided to give digital medical boxes to the Clinics on Wheels, mobile clinics that visit villages. Each box can run ultrasound, blood sugar, CBC (complete blood count) and ECG heart tests through one system. A camera can be attached for teleconferencing, and a smart ultrasound device linked to a mobile phone will also be introduced.
- A new CT scan machine in every district.
- Telemedicine centres for seasonal and common diseases, with video consultation.
- Digital medical boxes for Clinics on Wheels.
- 300 Maryam Nawaz Hospitals, currently Rural Health Centres, to become full hospitals.
- A monthly Hospital of the Month award.
Hospital of the Month award and new monitoring
Punjab will give a monthly Hospital of the Month award to its best-performing hospitals. At the same time, the chief minister ordered the immediate replacement of the medical superintendents of four hospitals for poor performance. The statement does not name those four hospitals.
Several new checks were announced alongside the award:
- Clinic Quality Control Officers will be appointed, for the first time in Punjab, to assess the quality of treatment.
- A Directorate of Monitoring and Surveillance has been set up in Primary Healthcare for 24-hour digital monitoring of every hospital.
- Digital monitoring will cover DHQ and THQ hospitals, Maryam Nawaz Hospitals and Health Clinics, field hospitals and Clinics on Wheels.
- A pool of doctors and medical superintendents will be formed to handle emergencies.
The meeting also agreed on legislation to link private clinics with the Health Information Management System, the government's digital patient records system. That is an agreement to draft a law. No bill has been published yet.
The chief minister also directed better cleanliness and parking at district and tehsil headquarters hospitals. Patients with a complaint about treatment or staff at a public hospital can already use the hospital and doctor complaint routes in Punjab, and nothing in this meeting changes them.
Medicines delivered at home and 119.8 million people registered
The meeting was told that medicines had been delivered to the homes of 3,444 Type-1 diabetes patients, 14,286 hepatitis patients and 13,864 TB patients. Community health inspectors had registered more than 119.8 million people across Punjab.
Home delivery of medicines is one of several free programmes that run alongside the health card. The free health programmes in Punjab beyond the Sehat Card include medicine and screening schemes that many families do not know they qualify for.
A day later, on 26 September, the chief minister approved several new hospitals. These include the Maryam Nawaz Medical College and Teaching Hospital in Mianwali, the Kulsoom Nawaz Cancer Hospital in Dera Ghazi Khan and a 268-bed Nawaz Sharif-Maryam Nawaz Institute of Cardiology in Gujranwala, according to Radio Pakistan. No cost or completion date was given.
Common questions
Is Punjab hiring 40,000 doctors now?
Not yet. The chief minister directed the recruitment on 25 September 2026, but no advertisement, schedule or application process has been published.
How do I apply for the new Punjab health jobs?
Wait for an official advertisement from the Punjab government that names the department, the posts and the closing date. Do not pay anyone who offers to secure a post.
How many doctors has Punjab already recruited?
The meeting was told 2,524 doctors, 2,482 women medical officers, 408 consultants and 32 cardiologists had been recruited.
Will every district in Punjab get a CT scanner?
The chief minister ordered a new CT scan machine for every district. No completion date was given.
What is the Hospital of the Month award?
A monthly award for the best-performing hospitals in Punjab, announced on 25 September 2026. The selection criteria have not been published.
Last checked and sources
Last checked on 27 September 2026. The recruitment directive, staff figures, CT scanner and telemedicine orders, digital medical boxes, Hospital of the Month award, removal of four medical superintendents, monitoring arrangements, home medicine deliveries, 119.8 million registrations and the agreement on private clinic legislation are from the Punjab government's DGPR statement of 25 September 2026. The 26 September hospital approvals are from Radio Pakistan. The meaning of allied health professionals and CT scan is our plain-English explanation. The 18,000 total is our addition of the published figures. No recruitment advertisement had been published when we checked.
About the author
Author
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
