Chandigarh: When India is celebrating its 80th Independence Day, freedom from the fear of expensive medical treatment in case of emergency is also emerging as an important measure of public welfare. Cashless treatment up to ₹10 lakh per family per year is being provided under the Mukhyamantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) in Punjab and more than six lakh treatments have been recorded under the scheme in the last seven months.

According to the state health agency data, 26,18,712 beneficiaries have been registered so far against 69,12,697 eligible families. So far, 3,02,906 patients have received treatment, including 6,06,892 treatments and 15,267 procedures. There are 880 empaneled hospitals under the scheme, while the average claim amount recorded is ₹14,628.04.

Big statement of Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh

On this occasion, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh said, “From dialysis to cancer treatment, six lakh treatments have been completed in Punjab under the Mukhyamantri Sehat Yojana. The scheme is particularly being utilized in critical and expensive health services. 1,99,417 chronic hemodialysis treatments have been done, while 60,504 cancer cases and 1,85,220 emergency cases have also been recorded.” Are.”

Additionally, cardiac treatment also remains a major part of the plan. According to the data, 10,428 PTCA procedures, including diagnostic angiography, have been performed at a cost of ₹100 crore. Around ₹8.20 crore was spent on 611 coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) treatments, while around ₹6.79 crore was spent on 507 pacemaker procedures.

The scheme has also been used extensively in bone and joint treatments. A total of 11,796 knee replacements were performed, costing ₹94.89 crore. 1,092 total hip replacements were also recorded under the scheme, costing ₹10.75 crore. In addition, more than 2,200 procedures of fracture fixation were performed. About ₹159.41 crore was spent on 60,504 recorded cases of cancer treatment, while ₹33.14 crore was spent on 2,02,793 recorded dialysis cases.

The benefits of this scheme are reaching both government and private hospitals. 3,36,161 cases were treated in private health institutions, while 2,70,731 cases were treated in government hospitals. The expenditure recorded stood at ₹614.08 crore and ₹479.85 crore respectively.

District level data revealed different patterns of treatment utilization. Patiala saw the highest number of patients treated at 28,977, followed by Bathinda at 23,446, Ludhiana at 22,620 and Jalandhar at 20,193. Bathinda recorded the highest expenditure of ₹200 crore, followed by Patiala with ₹100 crore, Amritsar with ₹99.23 crore and Jalandhar with ₹91.30 crore.

Behind the statistics, the stories of the beneficiaries

The statistics reflect the level of planning, but the experiences of beneficiaries reveal what access to cashless health services means to families. Sandeep Kaur, who underwent treatment for gall bladder and spine problems, said that the treatment has helped her return to a better life. She said, “After successful treatment, I am much better than before. I am living my life with new hope.”

For Nishi Gupta, who is undergoing breast cancer treatment, the health card has reduced the financial stress associated with long-term treatment. “Through the health card, my breast cancer treatment has started free of cost and continues without any cost. This has brought great relief to me and my family,” she said.

For Hakam Singh of Patiala, the scheme proved vital during a sudden cardiac emergency. Recalling his symptoms, he said, “Suddenly I started having chest pain.” After getting free treatment for heart disease, Hakam Singh expressed his gratitude for the government’s support and said that now he can live a happier life.

Gurcharan Singh, another beneficiary, expressed the financial fear that comes with serious illness simply: “We would die just wondering where we would get the money,” he said.

For these beneficiaries, the importance of cashless health services far outweighs the amount spent by the government. This meant that their families did not have to arrange for that money at a time when their priority was treatment and recovery.

As the country celebrates Independence Day, Punjab’s Mukhyamantri Sehat Yojana data offers another perspective on public welfare—not just in terms of how many people got health cover, but also in terms of how many were able to access critical treatment when they needed it most.