Punjab aborts Homeopathic, herbal facilities at healthcare units

Punjab Primary & Secondary Health Department has abolished hundreds of seats of Hakeems, homeopathic doctors, and support staff in the primary healthcare units across the province, reported the 24NewsHD TV channel.

According to sources, the department decided to promote allopathic medicines by ending alternative treatment facilities offered at the basic health units (BHUs) of the province. The surplus budget will be utilized for consolidating the allopathic treatment in the units.

Like other parts of the world, the Punjab government started alternative treatments for patients in the first tenure of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi (2002-7) by creating seats for herbal medicine practitioners and homeopathic doctors for all basic health units.

But, the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department terming these as dying cadres banned recruitments of homeopathic doctors, Hakeems, Homeopathic dispensers, Hakeems and Dawa Saaz, etc in 2016.

Interestingly, the federal government in the next budget 2023-24 proposed an exemption from the tax on herbal medicines to promote the export and treatment facility for the masses.

Reporter: Zahid Chaudhry