Privatisation deadline for health units extended
Patients from rural localities suffer as 30 per cent of posts in 16 basic health units lie vacant. PHOTO: FILE
The District Health Authority has extended the deadline to July 11 for the privatisation of 1,418 Basic Health Units and Rural Health Centres in its third privatisation phase.
Initially, applications were invited until July 7, but due to low submission ratesattributed to the Muharram holidaysthe deadline has now been extended.
The privatisation process is scheduled to be completed by July 31.
Following the sale of these health units, all government-approved positions are being cancelled.
Notices have also begun to be issued to doctors and nurses instructing them to vacate government housing.
The health department plans to complete the privatisation of major public hospitals in Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala, and Rawalpindi by June 30, 2026.
The process has already begun in Lahore.
According to government policy, only district headquarters hospitals and tehsil-level hospitals will remain under public control.
All other public hospitals will be privatised in phases.
To date, 23,000 BHUs and RHCs have already been sold, and all temporary and contract staff at these facilities have been laid off.