Sri Muktsar Sahib, March 24 — A one-year-old child from Sri Muktsar Sahib has become the youngest patient to receive life-saving treatment under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, marking a significant milestone for the Punjab government’s flagship healthcare initiative. The infant, identified as Khwaish, was admitted to a private facility with severe pneumonia, where doctors initiated immediate care without requiring upfront payments or administrative clearances.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh stated that the program, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is designed to ensure that financial hurdles do not delay critical medical responses. He maintained that in cases involving young children, even brief delays can lead to permanent complications. The minister affirmed that the scheme successfully removes such risks by providing a seamless transition from diagnosis to treatment.
Under the current framework, families possessing a Sehat Card can access up to ₹10 lakh in annual cashless coverage. At Deep Hospital, Dr. Monika Garg noted that the absence of verification bottlenecks allowed the medical team to focus entirely on the clinical needs of the child. Similar success stories have emerged from Sangrur and Mansa, where newborns with low birth weight and other critical conditions have received specialized care through the same state-sponsored mechanism.
To date, the administration has issued more than 26 lakh Sehat Cards, granting residents access to a network of over 900 empanelled hospitals. Dr. Balbir Singh asserted that the growing number of pediatric cases being treated reflects a fundamental shift toward faster healthcare delivery. He declared that the government remains committed to expanding this net, encouraging all eligible residents to enroll at designated centers to secure their health benefits.
