New Delhi, April 20 -- Punjab is grappling with a rising cancer burden even as its flagship health insurance programme enables patients to access costly treatment without upfront payments.

Under the Mukhya Mantri Sehat Yojna, beneficiaries can avail cashless treatment for serious illnesses, including cancer, across empanelled hospitals. The scheme covers expenses of up to Rs.10 lakh per family annually.

One such family, in which a 65-year-old woman was suffering from uterine cancer, availed the benefits of the scheme. The patient, identified as Baljit Kaur from Patiala, underwent surgery and multiple chemotherapy sessions, with most of the Rs.8 to 10 lakh cost covered under the programme, significantly reducing the financial strain of t...