This is something that no other province in Pakistan has been able to accomplish the creation of a digital map covering the health and demographics of all the people residing in that province. This unique program called ‘Punjab Digital Health Census Program’ carried out by the Punjab Chief Minister‘s Community Health Inspector Initiative has been able to record 94.3 million health and demographics profiles.
The counting is almost finished. More than 85 percent of the population in 18 districts has been counted, while five districts have achieved a 100 percent count, and five districts have achieved more than 95 percent profiling.
The chief minister, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, herself inspected the dashboard of the programme in a meeting of the Health and Population Department, where there was a dashboard with verified door-to-door collected data about health conditions, lifestyles, economy, water availability, and disabilities in tens of millions of Punjab households.
How 94.3 Million Profiles Were Created
The magnitude of the Maryam Nawaz’s digital health census in Punjab can be explained by means of its delivery process:
- 14,300 Community Health Inspectors conducted house-to-house surveys throughout Punjab
- Each family was assigned a distinct digital ID number as a result of the mapping process
- The collected data consists of medical history, demographics, socio-economic status, availability of clean drinking water, and disabilities
- A state-of-the-art disaster recovery center will be developed for protecting Punjab’s health database from data loss
“Without authentic data, no policy can be effective.”
CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif
The speech by the Chief Minister highlights the philosophy behind this program. The planning process of the health sector in Pakistan has always depended on estimates – rough estimates regarding the number of patients, the prevalence rate of diseases, and the needs of medicines. The digital health census Maryam Nawaz program in Punjab has provided real figures to make planning possible through data.
What the Data Has Uncovered That Never Got Documented Before
During the review process, the CM pointed out that many basic health problems and diseases were never systematically documented before in Punjab. The digital census has unearthed health realities that national statistics have always hidden:
- Prevalence of chronic diseases in the district and union councils
- Rates and types of disabilities in communities
- Conditions of water availability that contribute to risks of water-borne disease
- Conditions that contribute to the economic well-being of the people, regardless of their healthcare access
These detailed, verified facts allow Punjab’s Health Department the necessary diagnostics to put their resources where they matter most instead of where they make political sense.
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Cath Labs Set for Further Expansion in Punjab
The digital health census meeting of Maryam Nawaz in Punjab also discussed the expansion of infrastructure in terms of cardiac care. At present, there are five Cath Labs in operation in the province. However, by December 2026, 16 Cath Labs will be operational, with three labs in Bhakkar, Bahawalnagar, and Layyah soon to start operations.
In an ambitious schedule, the Chief Minister ordered that Phase-II Cath Labs in eight more districts be operationalized by July-end.
Polio Progress Adds to the Good News
The Punjab digital health census Maryam Nawaz meeting also delivered positive news on polio. Negative environmental polio samples have been reported from 19 districts across Punjab — a significant public health achievement that the Chief Minister acknowledged by paying tribute to frontline polio workers for their commitment to protecting children against the disease.
Sehatmand Gharana Scheme in the Works
One scheme was proposed at the discussion meeting to introduce the Maryam Nawaz Sehatmand Gharana Scheme, an initiative connecting primary health care to the people via their nearest primary health care facility to prevent unnecessary hospital visits.
The scheme focuses on digital monitoring of the following five diseases:
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Hepatitis
- Cancer
- Malnutrition
Policy Rooted in Facts, Not Estimates
The Punjab Health Census Maryam Nawaz initiative marks an important paradigm shift for the most populated province in Pakistan in terms of how the province manages its healthcare policies. The accuracy of all decisions made after this point will only improve when there are 94.3 million health records rather than estimates to work from.
Nayab Fatima is a media professional specializing in fact-based journalism, research, and analytical reporting on technology, telecom, aviation, and automobiles.
