RAWALPINDI:
The Punjab government’s announcement to provide free medicines in public hospitals has become practically impossible to implement in Rawalpindi’s three major government hospitals due to insufficient medicine budgets. Outstanding payments to vendors for already procured medicines have reached Rs1.95 billion.
According to sources, in the presence of Rs550 million outstanding dues for medicine procurement in the financial year 2024-25, pending liabilities to vendors have now risen to Rs1.40 billion for the current year.
Holy Family Hospital faces dues of Rs800 million, Benazir Bhutto General Hospital Rs350 million, and Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital Rs250 million.
It is worth mentioning that Holy Family Hospital, the city’s largest hospital with 1,052 beds and 25 operation theatres, used to receive a medicine budget of Rs600 million during the government of Imran Khan, which was later reduced. For the financial year 2024-25, the hospital demanded Rs1.20 billion but was issued only Rs330 million. For 2025-26, against a demand of Rs1.50 billion, only Rs380 million was released.
Similarly, in the current financial year, despite demanding Rs2 billion for medicines, the hospital once again received only Rs380 million.
The city’s second largest hospital, Benazir Bhutto General Hospital, was issued Rs380 million for 2024-25 despite Rs330 million in outstanding medicine dues. In 2025-26, it received Rs400 million, while medicines worth Rs800 million were purchased. Of the resulting Rs400 million shortfall, Rs70 million was paid from another head, leaving Rs330 million outstanding. For the current fiscal year, a demand of Rs1.25 billion was made but only Rs380 million was released.
The situation at Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital is also unsatisfactory.
Government hospitals are now unable to ensure the provision of medicines as per patients’ needs in emergency departments, OPDs, operation theatres, ICUs, critical care areas and wards. The shortage has created serious difficulties for citizens.
