LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has inaugurated a new mobile veterinary fleet aimed at delivering livestock treatment and diagnostic services directly to farmers, with a particular focus on rural areas.
According to Directorate General Public Relation – Govt of Punjab, the announcement was made during a ceremony where the chief minister reviewed a mobile veterinary dispensary, laboratory, and X-ray unit. She also instructed the livestock department to organize a livestock conference and approved designs for model veterinary hospitals across the province.
The initiative includes 30 additional mobile veterinary dispensaries and 17 mobile veterinary laboratories, raising the number of operational mobile veterinary hospitals to 262. These dispensaries are equipped with ultrasound and X-ray facilities, while the laboratories can conduct 40 onsite tests. The fleet will also be involved in disease screening and livestock surveillance.
The briefing highlighted that X-ray services will be available at 10 divisional hospitals, with 36 district-level facilities featuring operation theatres and laboratories. Across tehsils, 138 ultrasound machines will be provided. The government plans to deploy veterinary assistants on 6,964 mobile motorbikes to offer treatment at farmers’ premises. As part of the CM Internship Programme, about 1,000 veterinary professionals have already treated approximately 3.4 million animals in Punjab.
Plans are underway for the construction or rehabilitation of 230 veterinary hospitals at the tehsil level, with model hospitals featuring specialized facilities for cattle and horses. Additionally, the province aims to conduct artificial insemination for 800,000 animals to enhance breeding and boost milk and meat production. Punjab has reportedly been safeguarded from lumpy skin disease through an effective vaccination program.
Chief Minister Sharif emphasized that improved breeding practices will contribute to increased milk and meat production, underscoring the government’s commitment to providing doorstep veterinary services for farmers.