Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved a new program to bring experienced doctors from abroad to public hospitals. The Diaspora Doctor Locum Program (DDLP) will place overseas Pakistani and foreign medical specialists in 12 government hospitals across the province. This step aims to give poor and middle-class patients access to high-quality treatment inside Pakistan.
Under the program, specialist doctors will work for short periods, at least 15 days. They will perform up to eight complex surgeries each and share their knowledge with local doctors and nurses. This hands-on training will help improve skills of Punjab’s healthcare workers for the long term.
Doctors must have strong qualifications, including postgraduate degrees and at least three years of overseas experience. A special online portal will handle applications, verification, appointments, and payments. The program also plans to start a similar initiative for nurses.
This initiative is part of the Punjab government’s efforts to make advanced healthcare available locally. Many patients currently travel abroad for treatment, which is expensive. Bringing experts to government hospitals will reduce this burden and improve services in fields like surgery and specialized care.
If successful, it could become a model for other provinces and help build a stronger medical system in Pakistan.
