Doctors on the Streets: Health, Citizenship and Political Mobilisation of Medical Professionals in Pakistan

Doctors in Pakistan are taking to the streets to protest, and this research will explain why that matters for the entire healthcare system. The project addresses a gap in understanding how medical professionals—not just patients—become political actors in low- and middle-income countries. In Pakistan, doctors have repeatedly mobilised for better working conditions, safety, and resources, yet their activism is rarely studied as a force that shapes health policy and citizenship. The researcher will complete a book based on fieldwork, building a new conceptual framework that places health workers at the centre of health politics. If successful, this work could change how international health organisations and policymakers think about healthcare delivery in South Asia. Rather than viewing doctors solely as service providers, the research shows they are also political stakeholders whose collective action can influence everything from hospital funding to vaccine rollouts. The project also aims to build scholarly capacity in Pakistan, training a new generation of anthropologists focused on health systems. A future collaboration will compare health worker activism across South Asia, potentially revealing patterns that apply to other regions facing similar pressures on their health workforces.