In a significant move to protect public health, the Punjab Healthcare Commission has intensified its campaign against illegal medical practices across the province, sealing hundreds of unauthorized treatment facilities during November.
Massive Operation Against Quackery
The Punjab Healthcare Commission conducted a sweeping operation against unqualified medical practitioners throughout November, targeting treatment centers operating without proper qualifications. Anti-quackery teams carried out inspections at 2,128 healthcare facilities across the province, revealing alarming numbers of illegal operations.
According to an official spokesperson who spoke on Sunday, the commission sealed 492 treatment centers that were being run by individuals lacking required medical qualifications. These facilities were immediately shut down following the discovery of their illegal operations.
Regional Breakdown of Enforcement Actions
The crackdown showed particularly strong results in major urban centers, with Lahore witnessing the highest level of enforcement activity. The provincial capital saw enforcement teams conduct 507 visits and seal 139 illegal centers - the highest number in any single district.
Other districts also recorded significant enforcement actions:
- Rawalpindi: 150 inspections resulting in 24 closures
- Rahim Yar Khan: 132 visits leading to 31 sealing actions
- Faisalabad: 127 inspections with 26 closures
- Gujranwala: 99 visits resulting in 32 closures
- Sargodha: 92 inspection visits conducted
The campaign demonstrated its extensive reach with double-digit sealing actions reported in multiple districts including Sheikhupura, Kasur, Sialkot, Bahawalpur, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Mandi Bahauddin, Pakpattan, Narowal and Okara, confirming that the drive extended to both urban centers and remote rural areas.
Changing Behavior and Long-Term Impact
The intensified campaign appears to be creating a deterrent effect, with many unqualified practitioners opting for voluntary compliance. Another 291 healthcare outlets either shifted their locations, closed voluntarily, or took steps to transform into legitimate businesses rather than face regulatory action.
Meanwhile, the commission has placed 1,123 centers where qualified doctors were present during inspections under continuous monitoring to ensure they maintain compliance with healthcare standards.
The spokesperson highlighted the substantial long-term achievements of the PHC's decade-long campaign against illegal medical practice. Since the commission began its work, field teams have inspected nearly 248,000 treatment centers across the province, resulting in the permanent closure of more than 64,000 illegal facilities.
Perhaps equally significant is the preventive impact of the campaign, with over 30,000 unqualified practitioners choosing to abandon their practices voluntarily rather than face regulatory action.
Authorities have emphasized that the crackdown will continue without interruption to protect patients from dangerous and unregulated medical treatments, underscoring the government's commitment to ensuring healthcare safety standards across Punjab.
