Clinics on Wheels and the Rural Ambulance Service 1034, being operated by the Punjab Health Department in Jhelum, Gujar Khan, Kalar Syedan and Kahuta, as well as other districts of Punjab, are drawing public attention.

The reason is that they deliver services in rural areas, making healthcare accessible.

According to residents, it is remarkable that a team of doctors in a dedicated van, equipped with medicines and an ultrasound machine, arrives in a village on the scheduled date. Announcements through mosques in adjoining localities prompt families, the elderly and children to line up at the designated house, which is converted into a day-long hospital where all seeking treatment are attended to by qualified doctors.

Meanwhile, the rural ambulance service, accessible through the 1034 helpline, is responding to community calls concerning prenatal and postnatal health issues. Expectant mothers are shifted to the nearest health facilities such as Maryam Nawaz Sharif Clinics (MNSC), Rural Health Centres (RHC) or Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) hospitals, where qualified women medical officers, lady health visitors and paramedics are available in well-equipped, hygienically maintained labour rooms or other required consultancy areas.

Muhammad Zeeshan, a resident of a slum area near the industrial estate of Gujar Khan, told Dawn that his wife required medical care and consultancy during her prenatal period. He said that, being already registered with the nearest health facility, she was provided pick-and-drop service from home to the hospital by the 1034 ambulance. On the day of childbirth, he was out of the district and the ambulance shifted his wife to MNSC Buchiyaal.

After four hours, the ambulance brought his wife and newborn back home under the supervision of a midwife. When asked whether his family was charged, he replied, “Not a single penny.” Mr Zeeshan, a daily wager, told this scribe that it was an amazing service that one could imagine only in advanced countries.

Dr Navid Akhtar Malik, District Coordinator for the Integrated Reproductive Maternal Neonatal Child Health and Nutrition Programme, Rawalpindi, said that the Rural Ambulance Service had been extended to Gujar Khan, Taxilla, Kotli Sattian, Kallar Syedan and Kahuta tehsils and Murree district.

Detailing the coverage areas, he said the ambulances in Gujar Khan were stationed in Mandra, Ramay, Joungle, Sui Cheemian, Kontrila and Daultala localities. These were parking stations attached to the nearest MNHC.

In Taxilla, the service covered Usman Khattar and Pind Nosheri. In Kahuta tehsil, Beor and Thoa Khalsa were cluster stations, while in Kallar Syedan tehsil, Bakhral and Doberan Kalan were covered. In Murree, Kali Mitti, Charehan, Tret and Phagwari were included and in Kotli Sattian, Lehtrar and Karor stations were established. In tehsil Rawalpindi, Chakri, Dhok Bhadaal and Chountara were among the stations.

According to Dr Malik, each ambulance has a driver from an outsourced company and is equipped with an oxygen cylinder, an emergency kit and a stretcher. He said the ambulances provide free services for maternal and child care and are used only for referral purposes to and from the nearest MNSC.

Regarding Clinics on Wheels, he said that in Rawalpindi district, 33 medicine vehicles staffed by a medical officer and support staff, equipped with routine medicines, along with 10 ultrasound units on wheels operated by qualified staff and lady health visitors and four Field Hospital Medical Units (FHMUs) on larger trucks, had been mobilised.

In Rawalpindi tehsil, 17 union councils were allotted 17 medicine vehicles, four USG vehicles and one FHMU. Gujar Khan received four medicine vehicles, one USG vehicle and one FHMU, Kahuta tehsil received two medicine vehicles, one USG vehicle and one FHMU and Kotli Sattian received two medicine vehicles and one USG vehicle.

Dr Mazhar Hayat Mian, Chief Executive Officer of the District Health Authority Jhelum, said that Clinics on Wheels and the Rural Areas Ambulance Service (RAAS) were significantly contributing to building public confidence in their utility.

Sharing data, he said that 2,465 neonatal cases had been attended in the last three months under RAAS-1034, while Clinics on Wheels had provided healthcare to 210,086 patients in the same period.

Responding to a question on monitoring, he said that Google positioning and real-time monitoring were in place, and surprise visits were carried out to obtain community feedback.

Retired major general Dr Azhar Mahmood, advisor to the chief minister, said that Punjab’s mobile health initiatives were expanding primary and secondary care by delivering diagnostics, antenatal and postnatal services, immunisation, family planning and treatment for common illnesses to underserved communities.

He said Clinics on Wheels operate in urban slums, peri-urban corridors and rural villages with scheduled, staffed vehicles equipped with ultrasound machines and medicines at patients’ doorsteps.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2025