LAHORE :The Punjab government has allocated a substantial amount of Rs 181 billion for the health sector in the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, marking a significant investment in improving healthcare infrastructure and services across the province.
According to the Development Programme document, Rs 95 billion has been set aside for Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education, while Rs 86 billion has been allocated for Health and Population. A major initiative under the new budget is the establishment of the Nawaz Sharif Medical District in Lahore, for which Rs 6.288 billion has been earmarked. This advanced medical district will house a number of key healthcare institutions including Children Hospital-II, Institute of Genetic Blood Diseases, Institute of Surgical, Orthopedic & Medical Rehabilitation, Center of Excellence for Nursing Education, a Specialized Medical Hospital, a 1000-bedded Cardiac Institute, a Medical University, and a state-of-the-art Diagnostic Lab.
In an effort to enhance access to medical education in underserved regions, the government has announced the establishment of three new medical colleges in Narowal, Okara, and Layyah with an allocated amount of Rs 800 million. Moreover, a new Children Hospital is to be built in Rawalpindi at a cost of Rs 6 billion, while Rs one billion has been allocated for the construction of a Teaching Hospital in Sialkot.
The Punjab government has also strengthened its Chief Minister’s Special Initiatives in healthcare. An amount of Rs 8.663 billion has been allocated for the Dialysis Programme, Rs 3.639 billion for the Transplant Program, and Rs 3.212 billion for the Children’s Heart Surgery Program. Overall, Rs 15.507 billion has been earmarked for the ongoing schemes of the Chief Minister’s Initiatives. Furthermore, Rs 1.380 billion has been allocated for the ongoing schemes of Medical Education, Rs 25.250 billion for ongoing schemes under Specialized Healthcare and Miscellaneous, and Rs 14.846 billion for ongoing schemes of Tertiary Care Hospitals.
In terms of new healthcare development, the government has allocated Rs 6.289 billion for new schemes under the Chief Minister’s Initiatives, Rs 1.550 billion for new Medical Education projects, and Rs 14.664 billion for new Tertiary Care Hospital schemes. Additionally, Rs 15.514 billion has been set aside for other development programs within the health sector.
Under the Health and Population category, Rs 27.858 billion has been allocated for ongoing schemes, Rs 27.306 billion for new schemes, and Rs 30.835 billion for other development programs.