A heart attack is not only a medical emergency but also a severe financial burden for families. Earlier, crucial time was often lost arranging money for treatment, completing paperwork, and securing hospital approvals. That situation is now rapidly changing. Under the health card system, patients arriving at government and empanelled private hospitals are being screened and taken for emergency angioplasty procedures without delays caused by pre-treatment payments or administrative formalities. The reform is proving decisive during the “golden hour” — the first 60 minutes after a heart attack — when immediate medical intervention can save lives.
Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death globally. According to the World Health Organization, nearly 17.9 million people die every year due to heart-related illnesses. A significant number of these deaths occur because of delays in treatment. Punjab’s healthcare system is now actively addressing this challenge through rapid-response emergency cardiac care.
Doctors across the state have observed that heart disease is no longer confined to the elderly and is rising sharply among younger individuals as well. Sedentary lifestyles, stress, unhealthy eating habits, and increasing cases of diabetes have emerged as major contributing factors. At the same time, access to emergency cardiac treatment has improved significantly across Punjab.
According to the State Health Agency, a total of 5,054 cardiac surgeries have been performed under the health scheme over the past several months. These include 5,000 Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty procedures, including diagnostic angiograms, while 54 cases involved peripheral angioplasty procedures.
The total expenditure on these treatments stood at nearly Rs 49.6 crore, with angioplasty procedures accounting for the highest number of cases and the largest share of spending.
Punjab Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh said the impact of the scheme is now clearly visible across the state. “More patients are now surviving conditions that were earlier considered almost fatal. During such critical moments, the speed of treatment made possible through the health card system is proving lifesaving for the state,” he said.
Cardiology departments in hospitals are also being rapidly upgraded to meet emerging requirements. Emergency protocols are being streamlined to ensure that suspected heart attack patients are immediately screened and provided treatment without being trapped in administrative procedures.
Dr. Saurabh Sharma, Head of the Cardiology Department and Associate Professor at Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, said the health card system is enabling timely treatment for patients. “The hesitation families earlier faced over treatment expenses has reduced substantially. Many families previously delayed approvals because of uncertainty regarding medical costs,” he said, adding that the cashless facility has nearly eliminated that barrier.
The transformation is becoming increasingly visible across district-level healthcare systems as well. Earlier, patients frequently faced dangerous delays after being referred to hospitals in major cities for advanced treatment. The expanding availability of emergency cardiac services under the health scheme is now reducing those delays and strengthening Punjab’s emergency healthcare response network.
The rapid expansion of cashless cardiac treatment facilities marks a significant shift in Punjab’s public healthcare system, where speed, affordability, and immediate access to life-saving procedures are becoming central to emergency medical care.
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