CHANDIGARH, February 27: In a landmark intervention that redefines public healthcare delivery in the country, the Government of Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has operationalized high-end cochlear implant surgeries completely free of cost across its tertiary care network. What was once an unaffordable medical procedure reserved largely for the privileged is now a guaranteed right for children across Punjab.
Following a successful procedure at Government Medical College, Amritsar, the Bhagwant Mann Government has established a robust four-node surgical framework to systematically eliminate childhood deafness. Cochlear implant surgeries are now fully operational at Government Medical College & Hospital, Amritsar; Government Medical College & Hospital, Patiala; Government Medical College & Hospital, Faridkot; and Ambedkar Institute of Medical Sciences, Government Medical College & Hospital, SAS Nagar. This statewide institutional network ensures that access to advanced hearing restoration is no longer geographically restricted.
Breaking the Financial Barrier
Cochlear implants are among the most expensive medical interventions available in modern healthcare. In the private sector, the procedure typically costs between ₹6,00,000 and ₹10,00,000 per ear. For most families, this expense translates into catastrophic healthcare debt or the heartbreaking decision to forgo treatment altogether.
The Bhagwant Mann Government has dismantled this financial barrier entirely. Under its initiative, the implant device, surgery, hospitalization, and post-operative rehabilitation are being provided completely free of cost. Families are no longer forced to mortgage their future to secure their child’s ability to hear and speak. The State’s intervention represents full financial protection, shielding households from crippling expenditure while restoring dignity and opportunity to affected children.
Addressing a Silent Crisis
Hearing impairment remains one of India’s most under-recognized public health challenges. Approximately 6.3% of the Indian population suffers from significant hearing loss. Nearly 5 out of every 1,000 newborns in India are born with profound hearing loss, a rate significantly higher than the global average. Additionally, an estimated 5% of students have undiagnosed hearing issues, often mislabeled as slow learners or under-performers.
These figures reveal a crisis that is not only medical but deeply social and educational. Children with untreated hearing loss frequently face stigma, exclusion, and lost developmental potential. By institutionalizing free cochlear implant services, Punjab has directly confronted this silent epidemic.
The Golden Window: Acting Within Time
Medical science is unequivocal about the importance of early intervention. The brain’s plasticity for language development is highest between 0 to 3 years of age. This period is the golden window for cochlear implantation, during which children can develop speech and language at par with normal-hearing children.
Between the ages of 3 to 5 years, surgery still offers substantial benefit but requires intensive Auditory-Verbal Therapy to compensate for lost developmental time. Beyond this stage, effectiveness declines sharply and surgery becomes ineffective.
The consequences of delay are profound. Without timely intervention, children face permanent speech disability, social isolation, limited educational opportunities, and lifelong dependency. A single well-timed surgical procedure can prevent decades of marginalization. By expanding access across all Government Medical Colleges, the Punjab Government has ensured that the golden window is not missed due to financial hardship or lack of infrastructure.
Punjab Leading the Way After National Scheme Closure
When the Government of India’s cochlear implant scheme was closed in November 2023, access to this life-changing intervention became uncertain for countless children. At that critical juncture, the Punjab Government acted decisively by launching the Mukhya Mantri Sarvan Ashirwad Yojana, “Sunan Da Haq Sabda”.
Under this initiative, Punjab provides 100% state-funded cochlear implant surgeries completely free of cost for resident children. The State bears the entire cost, including the implant device, surgery, and hospitalization, while strengthening Government Medical Colleges to deliver advanced, specialized care with the highest standards . This proactive response ensured continuity of care and positioned Punjab as a national leader in equitable tertiary healthcare.
A Vision for Inclusive Healthcare
Punjab’s Health Minister Balbir Singh has reiterated that the Bhagwant Mann Government is committed to building an inclusive healthcare system where advanced medical care is accessible to every child, irrespective of financial background. “With this vision, the Bhagwant Mann Government has launched the Mukhya Mantri Sarvan Ashirwad Yojana, ‘Sunan Da Haq Sabda’, ensuring that no child is deprived of hearing due to economic constraints. Under this initiative, the Government is providing 100% free cochlear implant surgeries, bearing the entire cost including the implant device, surgery, and hospitalization.”
The Punjab Health Minister further informed, “Cochlear implant surgeries have commenced in Government Medical Colleges and are now available in all four Government Medical Colleges of Punjab, completely free of cost, marking a significant step toward equitable, specialized, and compassionate healthcare for all.”
This initiative is not merely a medical program; it is a structural correction in public health governance. By transforming a high-cost, high-skill intervention into a universal public service, the Bhagwant Mann Government has demonstrated that advanced healthcare can be both accessible and equitable. Punjab has moved beyond policy announcements to institutional execution, ensuring that no child’s future is limited by silence.
