LAHORE: In a move that has stunned the medical community and triggered national outrage, the Punjab government has abolished 1,008 contract seats of Emergency Medical Officers (EMOs) across the province, rendering them jobless just days before Eidul Fitr. The notification, issued by the Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department Punjab on March 14, 2026, has not only disrupted the livelihoods of seasoned healthcare professionals but also raised serious questions about the province’s emergency medical infrastructure.
These EMOs, recruited in February and June 2018 on contract basis, have been the backbone of emergency wards across district and tehsil headquarters hospitals, working morning, evening, and night shifts to serve the public. Despite years of continuous service, the government’s decision has stripped them of their positions and denied them the regularisation they were entitled to under provincial rules, leaving both the staff and the system in jeopardy.
Originally appointed on two-year contracts later curtailed to one year, the EMOs were promised Rs150,000 lump sum pay packages with a 5% annual increase. According to senior officials, many of these medics had worked uninterrupted for three consecutive years, making them eligible for permanent work status under the 2019 Punjab government amendment to the regularisation policy.
However, the recent notification violates these established norms. While a handful of EMOs appointed in June 2018 were allowed to continue until June 2026, the vast majority were abruptly terminated, forcing them to reapply via PPSC exams for newly created positions as medical officers/women medical officers.
PMA blasts abrupt termination as unethical and risky
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has strongly condemned the move. In a statement, PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said:
“It is highly unfortunate and ethically questionable to terminate doctors who have served the public healthcare system for over three consecutive years. These officers were the backbone of emergency wards in district and tehsil headquarters hospitals, often working exhausting shifts to ensure patient care. By denying them their right to permanent status and forcing them to undergo the PPSC process anew, the government shows a total disregard for their years of service and professional stability.”
Dr Shoro warned that this sudden decision threatens the emergency medical infrastructure of Punjab, risking patient care across the province. He demanded immediate withdrawal of the notification and a review of the 2025 Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Services Rules to safeguard the rights of healthcare professionals.
Government response
A senior official of the Health Department clarified to media that the 1,008 EMO posts have been re-designated as medical officers/women medical officers under a Special Pay Package. While the provincial cabinet approved this under the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Services (Secondary Level Human Resource) Rules, 2025, the affected EMOs are not automatically eligible for these positions and must sit PPSC exams, a move that has further fueled criticism.
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