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Chandigarh, August 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)

Punjab's Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) has crossed the milestone of six lakh treatments in seven months, providing families with cashless healthcare cover of up to ₹10 lakh per year, according to State Health Agency data.

As India prepares to celebrate its 80th Independence Day, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh said the scheme was helping families access critical and costly treatment without the burden of arranging large sums of money.

The data shows that 26,18,712 beneficiaries have been enrolled against an eligible base of 69,12,697 families. So far, 3,02,906 patients have received treatment, accounting for 6,06,892 treatments and 15,267 procedures. The scheme has 880 empaneled hospitals, with the average reported claim value at ₹14,628.04.

“From dialysis to cancer care, Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana crosses six lakh treatments in Punjab. The scale of utilization is particularly visible in critical and high-cost healthcare,” Dr. Balbir Singh said.

Chronic hemodialysis accounted for 1,99,417 treatments, while 60,504 cancer cases and 1,85,220 emergency cases were recorded.

Cardiac care has also constituted a significant component of the scheme. The data includes 10,428 PTCA procedures, including diagnostic angiography, involving expenditure of ₹100 crore. CABG accounted for 611 treatments costing around ₹8.20 crore, while 507 pacemaker procedures involved approximately ₹6.79 crore.

Orthopedic care included 11,796 total knee replacements costing ₹94.89 crore and 1,092 total hip replacements involving ₹10.75 crore, besides more than 2,200 fracture-fixation procedures.

Cancer treatment accounted for approximately ₹159.41 crore across 60,504 cases, while dialysis expenditure stood at ₹33.14 crore for 2,02,793 reported cases.

Private hospitals handled 3,36,161 cases, compared with 2,70,731 cases at government facilities. Expenditure stood at ₹614.08 crore and ₹479.85 crore, respectively.

Patiala recorded the highest number of patients treated at 28,977, followed by Bathinda (23,446), Ludhiana (22,620) and Jalandhar (20,193). Bathinda reported the highest expenditure at ₹200 crore, followed by Patiala at ₹100 crore, Amritsar at ₹99.23 crore and Jalandhar at ₹91.30 crore.

Beneficiaries count relief from treatment costs

The impact of the scheme is also reflected in accounts shared by beneficiaries.

Sandeep Kaur, who underwent treatment for gallbladder and spine- conditions, said, “After successful treatment, I am much better than before. I am living my life with new hope.”

Nishi Gupta, who is undergoing breast cancer treatment, said the Health Card had eased the financial pressure on her family. “With the Health Card, my breast cancer treatment has started free of cost and is continuing without any expense. This has brought great relief to me and my family,” she said.

Patiala resident Hakam Singh said the scheme helped him during a sudden cardiac emergency. “I suddenly had pain in my chest,” he recalled. After receiving free treatment, he said he could now live a happier life.

Another beneficiary, Gurcharan Singh, described the financial anxiety associated with serious illness, saying, “We would have just died thinking about where we would get the money from.”

For beneficiaries, the scheme's impact extends beyond the treatment expenditure borne by the government, offering families access to critical medical care without having to arrange substantial funds during emergencies.