Punjab’s publicly funded health insurance programme, Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, has covered neonatal intensive care costs in recent cases from Bathinda and Hoshiarpur, highlighting the scheme’s role in financing critical care for newborns.
In Bathinda district, a premature infant born at 33 weeks at a private hospital in Rampura Phul required immediate admission to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) due to respiratory distress. The newborn, weighing 1.926 kg at birth, was placed on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) support for 10 days, followed by oxygen support for four days, according to the treating doctor.
The infant also developed neonatal jaundice during the treatment period and was managed with phototherapy. Limited Kangaroo Mother Care was used to support feeding and maintain body temperature.
After 17 days of care, the infant was discharged in stable condition, with weight increasing to 2.106 kg. Doctors indicated that continued monitoring would be required.
The treatment costs in this case were covered under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, which provides cashless services at empanelled hospitals. The scheme offers annual health insurance coverage of up to ₹10 lakh per eligible family, aimed at reducing out-of-pocket expenditure on hospitalisation.
“In neonatal intensive care, outcomes depend on timely intervention and sustained monitoring,” said Dr. Surender Aggarwal, the paediatrician involved in the case, adding that early admission was critical in managing respiratory complications.
In a separate instance, a family in Hoshiarpur reported that their newborn, delivered on April 14, also required NICU support. The child’s treatment expenses were similarly covered under the scheme following same-day registration, according to the family.
Punjab’s health insurance model is part of a broader set of state-level interventions to expand access to secondary and tertiary care, particularly through private sector participation. Empanelled hospitals are reimbursed for procedures and treatments provided to beneficiaries under predefined package rates.
Public health experts note that premature births often involve high-cost interventions, including respiratory support and prolonged hospital stays. Insurance-backed schemes can help mitigate financial risks for households, particularly in cases requiring intensive neonatal care.
The utilisation of such schemes for NICU services also reflects a growing reliance on institutional care for high-risk births, alongside efforts to improve maternal and child health outcomes in the state.
