Chandigarh, August 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab has provided 265 cashless burn treatments costing ₹1.39 crore under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY), with 75 post-burn contracture procedures accounting for another ₹38.90 lakh, according to data from the State Health Agency (SHA).
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said the scheme was aimed at ensuring that financial constraints did not add to the difficulties faced by burn victims and their families during prolonged treatment and rehabilitation.
“A burn injury does not end when the flames are put out. For many patients, recovery can mean repeated procedures, rehabilitation and long-term care. Our priority is to ensure that financial hardship does not become another injury for these families. Under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, patients should be able to focus on healing, recovery and rebuilding their lives, rather than worrying about how they will pay for treatment,” he said.
The beneficiary data shows that working-age men accounted for the largest share of treatments. Men aged 31-45 years received 61 treatments, involving expenditure of ₹31.82 lakh. Among children, 39 boys and 27 girls aged up to 18 years received treatment.
Women aged 19-30 years accounted for 26 treatments, while 21 treatments were provided to women in the 31-45 age group.
Bathinda recorded the highest number of beneficiaries, with 57 patients receiving 63 treatments at a cost of ₹33.51 lakh. Faridkot followed with 40 beneficiaries and Patiala with 39. Rupnagar, S.A.S. Nagar and Fatehgarh Sahib reported one beneficiary each.
Post-burn contracture was the most prominent procedure, with 75 treatments costing ₹38.90 lakh. Such contractures occur when scar tissue tightens following a burn, restricting movement and affecting physical function.
Other procedures covered under the scheme included treatment for burns affecting the total body surface area, tissue expanders, electrical and chemical burns, antibiotic dressings, skin flaps, debridement, and ear and nose reconstruction.
The data also highlights the prolonged impact of burn injuries. A study of 892 burn patients at a tertiary hospital in Punjab, indexed on PubMed, found that 79 per cent were between 15 and 45 years of age, underlining the significant impact of burns on children, young adults and people in their working years.
A 24-year-old Bathinda resident, Arjun Kumar, was among those who benefited from the scheme after suffering burn injuries when a short circuit caused a fire at his home. His treatment, costing nearly ₹50,000, was provided cashlessly.
Recalling the incident, Kumar said the availability of cashless treatment allowed him to concentrate on recovery without worrying about the hospital expenses.
Dr Balbir Singh said the treatment figures reinforced the need for timely and comprehensive burn care, particularly for younger and working-age patients.
“A burn can change a person’s life in seconds, but recovery often takes much longer. For a burn victim, cashless treatment can therefore mean something very practical; when the fire is finally out, the family does not have to face another fire, that is, the hospital bill,” he said.
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