Chandigarh, April 1 (IANS) Strengthening last-mile healthcare access, the Punjab government has activated the ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activity) workers’ network to accelerate enrolments under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna (MMSY), with over 19,000 ASHA workers and 900 facilitators now driving registrations across villages in the state, an official statement said on Wednesday.

ASHA workers are playing a critical role in expanding the reach of the scheme at the grassroots. Each worker is assigned a population of nearly 1,000 residents, covering around 250 households, where they are conducting door-to-door outreach, creating awareness about the scheme, and accompanying families for enrolment at Seva Kendras and Common Service Centres, it said.

This approach ensures that awareness reaches households directly, especially in rural areas, while also guiding families through the enrolment process so that registration and verification are completed smoothly without delays or confusion.

The impact of this sustained on-ground mobilisation is already visible, with ASHA-led efforts contributing to nearly 10 lakh enrolments in the past 20 days alone, significantly strengthening the pace at which residents across Punjab are being brought under health coverage.

To sustain this momentum, the ASHA-led model is supported through a structured incentive system, with workers being incentivised for successful enrolments, ensuring accountability and consistent outreach across regions.

Emphasising the intent behind the initiative, Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh said: “Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has made it clear that in Punjab, no family should have to suffer because they cannot afford treatment. Our ASHA workers are taking this promise to people’s homes, ensuring that every family is aware and able to enrol. “This is not just a scheme on paper; it is a guarantee we are delivering directly to people, one household at a time.”

The scale of the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna continues to expand across Punjab, with nearly 50,000 residents enrolling every day and over 35 lakh Sehat Cards already issued. Districts such as Ludhiana, Patiala, and Jalandhar continue to lead enrolments at scale, reflecting strong participation across both urban and rural areas.

Beyond enrollment, the scheme is actively delivering healthcare outcomes. So far, over two lakh treatments worth Rs 300 crore have been carried out, including more than 40,000 surgical procedures across cardiac care, dialysis, orthopaedics, cancer treatment, and emergency interventions. This is backed by a Rs 2,000 crore allocation in the Punjab Budget of 2026-27 to further expand the scheme’s reach.

With camps, centres, and door-to-door mobilisation working together, the government continues to encourage residents to enrol for their Sehat Card and avail cashless treatment benefits under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna.

–IANS

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