Maryam Nawaz launches Punjab’s first health and safety initiative for special children

By Muhammad MubashirPublished On 27 Oct 2025

She directed the authorities to introduce Punjab’s first-ever comprehensive health screening program for students enrolled in special education centers.

Under this program, health screenings will be conducted for over 35,600 special children, including treatment, eye and dental checkups, and assessments for other diseases. More than 20,000 students will receive on-the-spot medical treatment, while 9,000 children will be referred to health centers, tehsil headquarters, and district hospitals for further care. Additionally, 5,000 students in major cities will receive specialized treatment in advanced hospitals.

The Chief Minister was also briefed that a recent door-to-door admission campaign for special children had yielded positive results, with over 5,000 new enrollments across Punjab.

Under the CM Punjab Freelancer Program, digital skill development courses — including Design and YouTube, Content Creation, Social Media, and E-Commerce — have been launched in special education centers.

Ten new computer labs have been approved, and eight existing labs will be upgraded with modern facilities. So far, 18 master trainers and 1,760 students have completed training, while the top 50 students will be awarded laptops for outstanding performance.

To ensure student safety, the government has approved installation of 4,381 CCTV cameras across special education centers.

In Phase I, 989 cameras will be installed in 142 centers located in Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan, and DG Khan divisions. Phase II will cover 158 centers in Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, and Sahiwal divisions by May next year.

These surveillance cameras will be connected to a central monitoring room in Lahore for real-time oversight. The footage will not only enhance the protection of students but will also be analyzed to study student behavior for therapeutic improvements. Officials confirmed that 3,450 cameras will be fully operational by November 2025 to ensure the safety and wellbeing of special students across Punjab.