Punjab strengthens maternal, neonatal healthcare through Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana

CHANDIGARH — The Punjab government’s universal healthcare initiative, the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, has emerged as a major safety net for maternal and neonatal healthcare across the state. By removing financial barriers, the scheme is ensuring that expectant mothers and critically ill newborns receive high-quality medical intervention without plunging their families into debt.According to latest official data from the State Health Agency, the initiative has successfully funded over 7,300 maternity and neonatal cases, translating into a medical expenditure of roughly ₹7.04 crore. A significant portion of this allocation directly targeted high-risk pregnancies. The state has processed 5,300 complex, high-risk Caesarean section deliveries cashlessly, deploying ₹6.37 crore to handle emergency obstetric complications at both public and empanelled private hospitals.

Beyond maternal care, the healthcare infrastructure is heavily prioritizing specialized pediatric interventions for vulnerable infants. Thus far, 2,094 newborns have received life-saving treatment under the framework. This includes basic neonatal care provided to 881 infants alongside their mothers, alongside intermediate care for 1,097 babies suffering from complications like low birth weight or jaundice. Most critically, advanced neonatal care—including prolonged ventilator support and intensive therapy—was provided to 116 highly fragile infants weighing less than 1,500 grams.

Launched by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the scheme offers an unprecedented cashless health cover of up to ₹10 lakh per family annually with no income caps. By embedding pre-hospitalization diagnostics and post-treatment recovery into its 2,300 approved packages, the policy actively targets India's high out-of-pocket medical expenditure. With over 44.8 lakh health cards already issued statewide, the framework is successfully converting high-risk obstetric and neonatal vulnerabilities into a model for accessible, universal public health