The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has sealed 832 illegal treatment centres operating across 29 districts.
The commission sealed these centres during a five-week enforcement campaign targeting unqualified medical practitioners.
According to details released by the Commission, PHC’s Anti-Quackery Department teams conducted field visits to 2,954 medical centres throughout Punjab. It conducted raids during the five weeks from early September through mid-October.
These raids led to the sealing of 832 centres where unqualified individuals were found providing medical services.
In a significant development demonstrating the campaign’s focus on enforcement, a substantial number of previously quackery outlets have now transitioned to legitimate operations. Qualified physicians have taken over numerous facilities, which were previously operating illegally.
Punjab Healthcare Commission:
This transition underscores the Commission’s strategy of not merely closing facilities but enabling legitimate healthcare delivery. The enforcement operations also documented that 354 backstreet treatment centres either relocated to different premises, voluntarily shut down or converted their businesses to other legal commercial activities in response to regulatory pressure.
Furthermore, surveillance and monitoring protocols have been initiated for 1,590 treatment centres where qualified physicians were present at the time of inspection. These facilities are continuously monitored to ensure that qualified medical professionals are available during all operating hours.
The enforcement activities were conducted across 29 districts of Punjab, with Lahore recording the highest number of sealed premises. The provincial capital witnessed action against 223 illegal treatment centres.
Glaring enforcement actions were recorded in several other districts as well. Kasur and Sargodha each saw 64 illegal outlets sealed, whilst Multan recorded 45 closures. In Nankana Sahib, 39 centres were shut down, followed by 33 in Sheikhupura and 31 in Khanewal. The operations extended into rural and peri-urban areas as well.
Since the inception of its anti-quackery campaign around a decade ago, the PHC has maintained relentless pressure on illegal medical practitioners through systematic surveillance, enforcement and public awareness initiatives. To date, PHC field teams have conducted visits to approximately 246,000 treatment centres across all districts of Punjab.
This unprecedented surveillance effort has resulted in more than 63,500 illegal outlets being permanently shut down through direct enforcement actions. Additionally, over 29,350 quacks have voluntarily abandoned their unlawful practices in response to sustained regulatory pressure, recognising the inevitability of detection and the punitive consequences of non-compliance.
