Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved the Diaspora Doctor Locum Program (DDLP), an initiative aimed at bringing overseas Pakistani and foreign specialist doctors to Punjab’s public sector hospitals for advanced surgeries and medical services.
The program will initially cover 12 hospitals across the province, with a dedicated dashboard and online portal being developed to manage operations.
Under the DDLP, experienced specialists with international qualifications will be engaged for short-term assignments. Eligible doctors must hold postgraduate qualifications, have at least three years of overseas fellowship experience, and possess a valid fitness certificate.
Participants will serve in Punjab for a minimum of 15 days and may perform up to eight advanced surgical procedures during their tenure.
The portal will facilitate registration, credential verification, appointments, payments, and reporting. Foreign specialists will also train local healthcare professionals, while a similar programme for nurses has been proposed.
Maryam Nawaz said attracting global medical expertise to Punjab was a priority and announced attractive packages for doctors and nurses.
The meeting was also informed about upcoming inaugurations of major healthcare facilities, including the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cardiology in Sargodha, the Cancer Treatment and Research Institute, and the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology in Lahore.
