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Punjab scheme covers ₹2.77 lakh treatment of infant; over 6,000 newborns treated in 3 months
State’s health programme offers up to ₹10 lakh cashless cover for mothers and newborns.
A four-month-old infant from Abohar has received treatment worth ₹2.77 lakh under Punjab’s Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna (MMSY), highlighting the reach of the state’s cashless healthcare scheme for mothers and newborns.
The child, Diljot, was diagnosed with a severe infection and a ventricular septal defect (VSD), a congenital heart condition. Her family sought treatment at hospitals in Bathinda, where the cost of care was fully covered under the scheme.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has said the initiative aims to ensure that families do not have to bear financial stress during medical emergencies.
Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries can access up to ₹10 lakh worth of cashless treatment annually at government and empanelled private hospitals.
Officials said more than 6,000 newborns have received treatment under the scheme in the last three months alone. The coverage includes conditions such as premature birth, low birth weight, infections and other neonatal complications.
Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh said awareness programmes are being conducted in villages to encourage timely medical check-ups and early treatment.
Several other cases have also been reported under the scheme. At a private hospital in Bathinda, a newborn with jaundice and respiratory distress received treatment costing around ₹1 lakh, which was fully covered. In Patiala, a newborn diagnosed with complications shortly after birth also received cashless treatment.
Officials noted that since the rollout of the scheme, more families are approaching hospitals within the first 72 hours after birth, which is considered critical for reducing complications and improving survival outcomes.
The state government has been encouraging residents to enrol for the Sehat Card through camps and designated centres to avail the benefits of the scheme.
