CHANDIGARH, August 25 — Punjab’s Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana has funded 15,494 breast cancer treatments totaling Rs 26.59 crore across government and empanelled private hospitals, health officials announced. The state-backed scheme provides cashless coverage up to Rs 10 lakh per family annually to ensure financial constraints do not disrupt long-term oncology care.
“Any financial hardship should not prevent eligible patients from accessing quality cancer treatment,” stated Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh. He maintained that the government’s flagship health initiative is structured to support families through multi-phase medical procedures without high out-of-pocket expenses.
Data from the State Health Agency reveals that women between the ages of 40 and 69 accounted for 12,213 of the total recorded treatments under the scheme. The highest concentration was observed in the 50–59 age bracket with 4,515 cases, followed by 4,141 cases in the 40–49 group and 3,557 among those aged 60–69.
Oncology experts noted that complete care often involves surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapy, and years of follow-up monitoring. State medical institutions confirm that beneficiaries receive coverage across both breast-conserving procedures and advanced therapies based on clinical requirements.
“Breast cancer treatment can be prolonged, and some patients require extended therapy and follow-up,” declared Dr Karuna Singh, Head of Radiation Oncology at the Advanced Cancer Institute, Bathinda. She affirmed that state health coverage plays a vital role in enabling patients from economically vulnerable backgrounds to complete their entire course of care.
