Chandigarh, Feb 24 (IANS) In a powerful example of justice delivered beyond courtrooms, costs and penalties imposed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on defaulting parties are bringing renewed hope to some of the most vulnerable patients at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER). ​

In the past two years, contributions to the Poor Patient Welfare Fund (PPWF) through court-directed deposits have increased by 179 per cent, rising from Rs 89.50 lakh in 2023-24 to Rs 2.49 crore in 2024-25, the PGIMER said. ​

This fiscal year has recorded Rs 2.06 crore in just 10 months, underscoring the sustained and transformative impact of judicial support. PGIMER Director Prof Vivek Lal expressed appreciation for the judiciary’s humanitarian vision. ​

“We are sincerely grateful to the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court for adopting a socially meaningful approach by directing costs imposed on defaulting parties towards life-saving support for the underprivileged. Each judicial order now translates into treatment, relief, and renewed hope for a family in distress,” he said. ​

Prof Lal further said that the High Court’s support has not been limited to recent years alone. ​

During the challenging COVID-19 pandemic, judicial interventions and directives played a vital role in strengthening patient care systems and ensuring responsiveness amid an unprecedented public health crisis.

​Commending the initiative, the Director added, “The significant surge in contributions has enhanced PGIMER’s capacity to respond swiftly to critical cases across specialties such as oncology, cardiology, neurosurgery, nephrology, and trauma care, areas where timely financial assistance often makes the difference between deterioration and recovery.” ​

For many families arriving at PGIMER in moments of medical and financial distress, the Poor Patient Welfare Fund serves as a crucial lifeline. ​

It supports economically vulnerable patients not covered under government health schemes or insurance, enabling access to essential medicines, high-end diagnostics, surgical consumables, implants, and emergency interventions, ensuring that treatment is never withheld due to inability to pay. ​

The fund is administered through a structured and transparent mechanism to ensure that assistance reaches genuinely deserving beneficiaries promptly and responsibly.

​–IANS

vg/dan