Chandigarh, July 7 — The Punjab government has successfully provided advanced Ear, Nose, and Throat surgeries to more than two thousand patients across the state free of cost under its flagship healthcare initiative. Official data reveals a significant public health push towards addressing long-standing respiratory, hearing, and oral health issues through timely medical interventions.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh declared, “Through the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, eligible patients in Punjab are receiving advanced ENT procedures free of cost at government and empanelled private hospitals. According to State Health Agency data, around 2,030 patients have received ENT surgeries under the scheme, with treatment worth approximately ₹5.25 crore.”
The largest share of these medical interventions involved ear disorders, with chronic infections and hearing loss topping the surgical list. State Health Agency statistics indicate that over one thousand ear operations were performed recently, including hundreds of eardrum repairs and complex mastoid surgeries to clear deep-seated infections.
Medical Officer and ENT Specialist at the Civil Hospital in Rupnagar, Dr Nidhi Gupta, stated, “Most of these procedures repair damaged eardrums or remove chronic infections from the middle ear. Timely surgery restores hearing and prevents complications involving the mastoid bone and nearby structures.”
The state also recorded nearly nine hundred nose and sinus interventions to correct chronic breathing difficulties, alongside a smaller but highly critical number of complex oral and tongue surgeries. Experts note that while oral tumors account for fewer cases, they present the greatest clinical severity due to late detection.
Dr Nidhi Gupta affirmed, “Patients often rely on nasal sprays for years without addressing the underlying cause. Endoscopic surgery offers long-term relief, improves breathing and reduces recurrent infections.” She maintained that early consultation usually translates to simpler treatment, quicker recovery, and vastly superior long-term health outcomes for the public.
