Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana provides limb-saving treatment to 560 diabetic foot patients in Punjab
₹1.32 crore spent on treatment of diabetic foot and related complications in nearly eight months
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, September 8, 2026: Timely medical and surgical intervention under the Punjab government’s Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) has helped 560 diabetic patients receive treatment for foot-related complications, with the state spending ₹1.32 crore on their care over the last nearly eight months.
Diabetic foot complications can become serious if wounds or infections are not detected and treated promptly. Diabetes-related nerve damage can reduce sensation in the feet, while poor blood circulation can delay healing. Infections may then spread to deeper tissues and, in severe cases, put the limb at risk.
According to the latest State Health Agency data, 560 patients have received treatment for diabetic foot and associated complications under MMSY. Of these, 126 patients underwent surgical management, involving expenditure of ₹44.55 lakh, while another 123 patients received medical management.
The remaining beneficiaries received a range of treatments depending on the severity of their condition. These included prolonged wound dressing and antibiotic therapy, toe and foot surgeries, below-knee procedures, skin grafting, CT and MRI investigations, and blood and platelet transfusions.
Some patients also required treatment for serious associated complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis, severe sepsis and anaemia.
Patients Receive Timely Intervention
Among the beneficiaries was 47-year-old Harcharan Singh, who developed advanced diabetic foot disease. Reduced sensation caused by diabetic nerve damage had made it difficult for him to detect the severity of his injury, while the infection had spread into deeper tissues. Doctors performed surgical debridement to remove infected and dead tissue and help the wound begin healing.
Raja, 38, faced a similar situation after a foot wound developed into a serious infection. Because of diabetic nerve damage, he could barely feel the wound, raising concerns that the infection could spread to the bone. Timely surgery was carried out to control the infection.
For 57-year-old Veena, poor circulation made it difficult for her foot ulcer to heal. Her condition progressed to the point where the affected foot was at risk of amputation. Surgical removal of infected tissue was undertaken as part of her treatment.
Another beneficiary, 67-year-old Santokh Singh, developed a non-healing diabetic foot ulcer accompanied by pus formation. He required surgical intervention to drain the infection and remove the affected tissue.
For all four patients, early treatment provided an opportunity to control infection and avoid the worst-case possibility of limb loss.
Government Says Financial Concerns Should Not Delay Treatment
Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said that the figures represented more than healthcare statistics, as each beneficiary was a person whose family depended on timely treatment.
He said diabetic foot complications could progress silently and, when treatment was delayed, potentially affect a patient’s mobility and even threaten the limb.
“Our priority is to ensure that no family in Punjab has to choose between seeking timely treatment and worrying about whether they can afford it,” Dr Balbir Singh said.
The minister said the objective of Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana was to ensure that once a patient reached a hospital, the focus remained on treatment rather than the family’s ability to pay.
He added that the impact of the scheme should not be assessed only by the number of procedures performed or the money spent, but also by the outcomes made possible through timely healthcare—including patients returning home, families being protected from financial distress and, in diabetic foot cases, limbs being given a chance to be saved.
The treatment provided to these 560 patients illustrates how complications that can potentially lead to disability may require multiple forms of intervention, ranging from medicines and wound care to surgery and advanced investigations.
Under MMSY, the government has sought to reduce the financial barrier to accessing such treatment, particularly when delaying care could allow a relatively small foot wound to develop into a serious infection.
For diabetic patients, the cases also underline the importance of not ignoring wounds, ulcers, swelling, colour changes or signs of infection in the feet. Early medical assessment can be crucial in preventing complications from becoming more severe.