Punjab’s health system at risk? YDA warns against plan to terminate 1,200 adhoc doctors

LAHORE: A storm is brewing in Punjab’s healthcare sector after reports that nearly 1,200 adhoc doctors may lose their jobs, prompting a strong reaction from the Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab, which has called the potential decision “deeply unjust and unacceptable.”

According to the association, these doctors have served in public hospitals and health facilities for years—often under extremely difficult conditions—providing essential medical services to millions of patients across the province.

If their services are terminated abruptly, YDA leaders warn, the move will not only jeopardize the livelihoods of hundreds of doctors but could also further strain an already fragile healthcare system.

Doctors demand immediate reversal of decision

In a strongly worded statement, Young Doctors Association Punjab urged the Government of Punjab, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, and Secretary Health and Population Department Nadia Saqib to immediately withdraw the decision to terminate adhoc doctors.

The association described the move as a “doctor-crushing policy” that could accelerate the growing trend of brain drain among Pakistani medical professionals, many of whom are already seeking opportunities abroad due to job insecurity and difficult working conditions.

“These doctors have been serving the health system for years and have become an important pillar of healthcare delivery,” the statement said. “Removing them suddenly would be an injustice not only to the doctors but also to the people who depend on public hospitals for treatment.”

A workforce already under pressure

Punjab’s public healthcare system relies heavily on temporary, contract, and adhoc doctors, especially in district hospitals, rural health centers, and basic health units.

Health experts say these doctors often fill critical staffing gaps in facilities that struggle to recruit and retain permanent medical officers.

In recent years, the province has also witnessed frequent tensions between the government and doctors’ bodies, including protests over hospital outsourcing plans and working conditions, which have sometimes led to the closure of outpatient departments (OPDs) in major hospitals.

At the same time, the health department has occasionally resorted to temporary locum appointments to keep hospitals functional during shortages, highlighting the system’s heavy dependence on flexible staffing arrangements.

Fears of unemployment and brain drain

The YDA warns that terminating hundreds of adhoc doctors could have far-reaching consequences beyond the healthcare sector.

Thousands of families rely on these jobs, and sudden unemployment could create a serious economic crisis for many households, the association said.

More importantly, the decision could push more doctors to leave the country in search of stable careers abroad, worsening Pakistan’s already serious shortage of medical professionals.

Pakistan has long struggled with the migration of trained doctors to countries such as the UK, Gulf states, and Australia, where working conditions and salaries are significantly better.

Call for policy reform instead of job cuts

Instead of terminating doctors, the YDA has urged the government to create a sustainable policy to absorb them into the healthcare system.

The association proposed that adhoc doctors be adjusted under locum arrangements or integrated into permanent positions through a transparent recruitment policy.

“If the health department wants to implement a new policy framework, these doctors should be accommodated immediately under locum or permanent arrangements,” the statement emphasized.

Warning of wider consequences for healthcare

Doctors’ representatives say ignoring the issue could trigger wider unrest within the medical community and further weaken healthcare services.

They stressed that doctors who have served the public health system for years should not see their professional future placed at risk overnight.

“If this issue is not resolved urgently, it will not only create unemployment for hundreds of doctors but also damage the already overstretched healthcare system of Punjab,” the YDA warned.

The association concluded with a clear message to policymakers:

“Injustice against doctors will not be tolerated.”

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