Punjab launches Rescue Internship Programme to strengthen emergency medical services

LAHORE, Jul 10 (APP): Punjab Minister for Health and Emergency Services Khawaja Salman Rafique on Friday said the Rescue Internship Programme, launched under the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, is a revolutionary initiative aimed at equipping young paramedics with modern emergency medical training, better employment opportunities and a strong spirit of public service.

He was addressing the Punjab Chief Minister’s Intern Passing Out Parade held at the Rescue Headquarters, where more than 300 interns completed their eight-week training at the Emergency Services Academy.

The minister said Emergency Services Punjab had evolved into an internationally recognised institution, with trainees from more than 30 countries as well as all provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan receiving professional training at the academy. He praised Rescue 1122 personnel for their frontline role during the 2025 floods and said the Punjab government had equipped the service with modern rescue equipment under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said the Rescue Internship Programme would introduce a sustainable human resource model that would enhance the capacity of emergency medical services, improve service quality and ensure effective utilisation of government resources. He urged the graduating interns to continue learning, maintain physical fitness and serve every citizen with compassion, professionalism and integrity.

Highlighting the achievements of Rescue 1122, he said the service had responded to more than 20 million emergency victims, including over five million road traffic accidents and more than 294,000 fire incidents. He added that the Rescue 1122 Motorbike Rescue Service had handled over 4.8 million emergencies with an average response time of four minutes.

The minister said the Punjab government had undertaken several initiatives to further strengthen emergency services, including the introduction of an air ambulance service, expansion of fire services to tehsil level, rescue coverage on all motorways, a dead body transfer service, solarisation of rescue stations and the provision of modern rescue equipment. He said Rescue 1122 had also been provided with advanced urban search and rescue equipment, specialised rescue vehicles, hydraulic cutters, motorboats, life jackets, scuba diving equipment, fire tenders and new ambulances to improve emergency response in both urban and remote areas.

Congratulating Secretary Emergency Services Dr. Rizwan Naseer, the instructors and the entire Rescue 1122 team, Khawaja Salman Rafique expressed confidence that the graduating interns would play an important role in enhancing public safety through their professional skills and commitment to service. He also paid tribute to the instructors for successfully training more than 300 interns in just eight weeks.

Parliamentary Secretary for Forest and Wildlife Qasim Nadeem said he was proud that his late father had played a key role in laying the foundation of Rescue 1122. He congratulated Khawaja Salman Rafique and Dr. Rizwan Naseer on the successful conduct of the internship programme.

Addressing the ceremony, Secretary Emergency Services Dr. Rizwan Naseer described the Chief Minister’s Internship Programme as a historic initiative and said the best-performing interns would have the opportunity to join the rescue service. He said the training would enable them to protect lives in their respective communities and noted that the emergency service had been certified by the United Nations. Recalling the recent floods and the Covid-19 pandemic, he praised rescuers for their courage and dedication in saving lives during difficult circumstances.

Later, Khawaja Salman Rafique and Dr. Rizwan Naseer inspected the passing out parade and congratulated the graduating rescue interns.