Chandigarh/Hoshiarpur: For 65-year-old Kewal Kaur from village Panwa (Dasuya) in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district, April 17 marked the beginning of a new life. For years, she had been battling unbearable knee pain that had reduced her world to a few painful steps. Walking without a stick had become impossible, and each day felt like a struggle against helplessness.
Today, the mother is slowly finding her way back onto her feet, without the burden of financial stress, thanks to the Bhagwant Mann government’s health initiative. Under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, her knee replacement surgery was successfully performed at Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Jalandhar. What once seemed out of reach, an operation costing nearly ₹1.5 lakh, was completed entirely free.
Her son, Mandeep Singh, a farmer, recalls the difficult years with a heavy voice. For nearly five years, his mother lived in constant pain. They consulted multiple doctors, tried medicines, but nothing brought relief. Eventually, her condition worsened to the point where she couldn’t take a single step without support.
“When my mother became completely dependent, surgery was our only hope,” he says.
Mandeep had earlier read about the scheme in a newspaper and registered for a health card, a decision that would change their lives. After completing the hospital formalities, the surgery was performed on April 17 by Dr. Anit Sachar and his team in a procedure that lasted about two hours.
Recovery has begun, and with it, a quiet return of dignity. Though the stitches are still in place and will be removed soon, the pain that once defined Kewal Kaur’s days has begun to fade. In its place, there is relief; and a smile that had long been missing.
Fighting back tears, she says, “Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is like a third son to me. My operation was done without spending a single rupee. I am no longer a burden on anyone. Life will be easier now.”
For the family, this was not just medical treatment, it was a restoration of self-respect. Mandeep shares that while his own children live abroad and financial help was possible, the scheme gave them something deeper: independence and dignity. He also revealed that Kewal Kaur was not alone. Around five other elderly patients from Mohali, Hoshiarpur, and nearby villages underwent similar knee surgeries under the same scheme. Apart from about ₹2,400 spent on initial tests, the entire treatment was free.
According to Mandeep, the scheme’s provision of free treatment up to ₹10 lakh is nothing short of a blessing for middle- and lower-income families. Kewal Kaur’s story is more than just a successful surgery, it is a powerful reminder that when the right help arrives at the right time, it can restore not just health, but hope, dignity, and the will to live again.
