Patiala- Punjab Health & Family Welfare and Medical Education & Research Minister Dr Balbir Singh today met the patient and his kidney donor wife at the Government Rajindra Hospital who are recovering after the hospital's first successful kidney transplant on September 10, 2026. He said that under the Chief Minister Health Scheme, this life-saving kidney transplant has been done completely free of cost and both the patient and his wife are going home after being discharged from the hospital.
Dr. Balbir Singh spoke to the 37 year old patient and his 29 year old wife of Romana Patti, Namol, District Sangrur and inquired about their well being. He praised the courage and spirit of the couple and said that the wife has set an example by donating her kidney to her husband. He said that the patient was suffering from kidney failure due to MPGN. On this occasion, the patient and his wife thanked the Punjab Government, Health Minister and the entire medical team of Government Rajindra Hospital for giving them a new life.
The Health Minister said that people suffering from kidney and other serious diseases in Punjab no longer need to collect money for better treatment, rather they need to reach the government hospital on time and get treatment. He said that the Punjab government will bear the cost of treatment of eligible patients under the Chief Minister Health Scheme. He said that the cost of kidney transplant treatment in a private hospital ranges from around Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakh. Dr. Balbir Singh said that the opening of kidney transplant facility at Government Rajindra Hospital is an important achievement in the government health and medical education sector of Punjab. He said that the team of super specialist doctors is providing better treatment facilities to the patients. He said that a 300-bed trauma center is being built in Rajindra Hospital, while a 50-bed critical care unit is also in the final stages. He said that with the operationalization of this facility, the need to refer serious patients to other hospitals due to shortage of ICU beds will be reduced.
The Medical Education and Research Minister praised the team that successfully performed the kidney transplant and transplant specialist Prof. Dr. Sarbpreet Singh, Urologist Prof. Congratulated the entire medical team including the surgical team led by Dr. Harbhupinder Singh Sandhu and Dr. Suparn Sharma, Nephrologist Dr. Thakurvir Kohli, Anesthesiologist Dr. Tanveer Kundra. He met the Director-Principal of the Medical College and Head of the Medicine Department, Dr. R.P.S. Dr. Vishal Chopra, Medical Superintendent of Sibiya and Rajindra Hospital.
Dr. Balbir Singh said, “This is a new chapter in the history of government medicine in Punjab. With the availability of advanced and life-saving facilities like kidney transplant in a government hospital, access to good treatment for the common man has been further strengthened.”