1.60 lakh people have availed free treatment worth ₹191 crore so far
Patiala News (March 25): Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh stated that the unique scheme ‘Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana’, launched by the Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, providing free treatment up to ₹10 lakh, is proving to be a boon for the people of Punjab. Highlighting the achievements of the health sector over the past four years, he informed that so far 1.60 lakh people have availed free treatment worth ₹191 crore under this scheme.
Dr. Balbir Singh said that Punjab’s health model is now being replicated in other states across the country. He added that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Aam Aadmi Party government has prioritized health, education, and employment over the past four years, and the results are evident.
He further stated that the transformation of Government Rajindra Hospital and Mata Kaushalya Hospital in Patiala marked the beginning of a health revolution in the state, and the government has achieved unprecedented success in the health sector during this period.
The Health Minister informed that under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, health cards are to be issued to 65 lakh families covering around 3 crore people, out of which 25 lakh cards have already been issued. He appealed to the public to get their health cards made proactively rather than waiting for illness.
He also shared that 9 new medical colleges are being established in the state, including those already operational at Fatehgarh Sahib and ESI Ludhiana. Additionally, upcoming colleges at Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Sangrur, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Lehragaga, Malerkotla, and Ludhiana will add 600 new MBBS seats. The shortage of human resources in medical education has also been addressed, and promotions also granted to professors.
Dr. Balbir Singh said that to strengthen infrastructure, equipment worth ₹200 crore is being procured for all government medical colleges, and 22 critical care blocks with 50 beds each are being set up across districts.
He added that along with free medicines, diagnostic services are being expanded. MRI facilities will be made available in all district hospitals this year, CT scan facilities in 8 more hospitals, and 7 maternal and child hospitals with 250 beds each will be made operational soon. Over 200 empanelled private diagnostic centres are also providing X-ray and ultrasound services.
He informed that under AI-enabled screening in five districts, 9,294 women were examined, detecting 8 cases of breast cancer and 43 cases of cervical cancer. Similarly, AI-enabled eye screening of 1.07 lakh people revealed vision issues in 21,660 individuals.
The Health Minister said that under the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign, the government has reduced the demand for drugs and broken supply chains, while also creating strong infrastructure for free treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts. Skill development initiatives for recovering addicts and expansion of clinics in jails have also been undertaken.
He further stated that 883 Aam Aadmi Clinics have provided free treatment to 1.69 crore people through over 5 crore OPD consultations. The ‘CM di Yogshala’ project has also brought a new revolution in preventive healthcare, benefiting around 2 lakh people daily through 8,000 yoga sessions. Additionally, 948 general doctors and 627 super-specialist doctors have been recruited, marking the largest medical recruitment in Punjab’s history.
Dr. Balbir Singh said that IVF services will soon be started in government medical colleges at Patiala, Amritsar, and Faridkot, along with PET scan facilities in Mohali and other Government medical colleges. Advanced procedures such as cochlear implants, liver and kidney transplants, and surgeries related to heart, brain, and spine are also being conducted in these hospitals.
He added that all operation theatres at Government Rajindra Hospital have been upgraded to modular OTs, and a trauma centre is also under construction. He reiterated that the government’s main objective is to ensure quality healthcare for all 3 crore residents of the state and to make government hospitals at par with private hospitals.
Dr. Balbir Singh further informed that ‘Mission Amrit STEMI’ has been launched across 23 districts to ensure timely treatment for heart attack patients. Under this initiative, 29,000 patients with chest pain were enrolled, and 800 patients received emergency cardiac care.
He added that under the Punjab Stroke Project, an AI-enabled stroke management system has been introduced through a hub-and-spoke model, benefiting 100 patients so far, with treatment provided to 40 patients. Additionally, mental health support is being provided across the state through Tele-MANAS helpline number 14416.
