A serious health condition does not only affect a person’s wellbeing; it can place an enormous emotional and financial burden on an entire family. When the illness is related to mental health, stigma, lack of awareness and concerns over treatment costs can create additional barriers, often delaying the decision to seek professional help.
Punjab’s Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) is helping address one part of that challenge by making covered mental-health treatment financially accessible. Data from the State Health Agency (SHA), Punjab, as of August 11, 2026, shows that in the available seven-month period, 709
beneficiaries received mental-health treatment under the scheme, involving treatment worth ₹83.36 lakh.
The age profile provides a particularly significant insight. 284 beneficiaries treated cashless under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana were aged 31–45, while 249 were aged 18–30. Together, these two groups account for 533 beneficiaries, or 75.2 per cent of the total.
On this, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said, “Mental healthcare should not become a luxury that a family seeks only when it can afford it. If someone needs professional help, the focus should be on getting that person the right care at the right time.”
Dr Gagandeep Sekhon, MD Psychiatry, Consultant Psychiatrist, Civil Hospital Barnala, said, “The 18–45 age group is particularly important from a mental-health perspective because this is the phase when people are building careers, managing relationships, raising families and handling significant financial responsibilities.”