Dr Balbir Singh Archives - National Times

13 Sep

Punjab Launches Evidence-Based School Curriculum to Combat Youth Substance Abuse

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabCEGA UC Berkeley, Dr Balbir Singh, J-PAL South Asia, Punjab School Curriculum, Yudh Nashean Virudh

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): “I’ll try it only once.” “I can stop whenever I want.” Or the idea that even if one uses drugs for a long time, “rehab treatment is easy.” For a youngster standing at the edge of experimentation, these may sound like harmless thoughts. But these beliefs are not just alarming—they can be dangerous. The Bhagwant Mann Government, through the School Nashean Virudh curriculum, is working to prevent substance abuse among youth by challenging and dismantling such beliefs. This evidence-based curriculum, developed in collaboration with CEGA, University of California, Berkeley, and J-PAL, a research organisation co-founded by Nobel…

10 Sep

BJP Leaders Chased Away From Toor Banjara As Villagers Reject BJP’s Politics On Dalit Family’s Grief: Manish Sisodia

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBJP Punjab, Dalit family, Dr Balbir Singh, Manish Sisodia, Punjab politics, Sangrur protest, Toor Banjara

Sangrur (Gurpreet Singh): Tensions flared in Punjab's Sangrur district on Thursday after local residents prevented Bharatiya Janata Party leaders from entering Toor Banjara village following the death of a Dalit resident, Gulzar Singh. The confrontation escalated rapidly when a delegation led by Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon arrived at the village, prompting an angry response from the local community. Demonstrators surrounded the visiting politicians, chanting slogans against their presence and forcing the delegation to turn back before reaching the bereaved household. The incident quickly ignited a sharp political exchange between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the opposition BJP.…

26 Aug

Punjab’s ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ Gets Harm-Reduction Push; 594 Centres Providing Treatment Across State

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBhagwant Mann government, Dr Balbir Singh, Punjab Drug Addiction, Punjab drug campaign, Punjab War Against Drugs, Yudh Nashean Virudh

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Bhagwant Mann Government’s harm-reduction services, a key component‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’, are emerging as an important pillar of the state’s fight against substance abuse. People suffering from substance use disorder (SUD) can avail harm reduction services through 547 Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) centres run by the state’s health department and 47 Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) centres run by the Punjab State Aids Control Society, along with Targeted Intervention Services. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), harm reduction encompasses a range of interventions aimed at minimising the negative health and social consequences associated with drug use, including…

24 Aug

Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana Provides ₹26.59 Crore for Over 15,000 Breast Cancer Treatments in Punjab

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabbreast cancer, Cancer Treatment, Dr Balbir Singh, Health Scheme, Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, Punjab Healthcare

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Breast cancer treatment can extend well beyond surgery and chemotherapy, with some patients requiring radiation, targeted or hormone therapy and prolonged follow-up. For eligible beneficiaries, the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) can help address one barrier to continuity of care by providing cashless treatment support of up to ₹10 lakh per family annually through government and empanelled private hospitals. Breast cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the breast grow and multiply uncontrollably. It is the most common cancer among women in India. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research–National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (ICMR-NCDIR),…

23 Aug

Women’s Support For Bhagwant Mann In 2027 Will Be Bigger Than Teej Celebrations, Says Dr Gurpreet Kaur Mann

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaBhagwant Mann, Dr Balbir Singh, Dr Gurpreet Kaur Mann, Punjab Teej celebrations, Raj Lali Gill, Teej festival Patiala

Patiala (Gurpreet Singh): A state-level Teej festival organised in Patiala saw a large turnout of women, with Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh welcoming Dr Gurpreet Kaur Mann, wife of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, and Raj Lali Gill, Chairperson of the Punjab State Women’s Commission. The event highlighted Punjabi culture, traditional performances and women’s participation, while also becoming a platform to showcase the state government’s welfare initiatives. Dr Gurpreet Kaur Mann Highlights Cultural Importance Of Teej Addressing the gathering, Dr Gurpreet Kaur Mann said Teej represents happiness, togetherness, brotherhood and affection among Punjabi women. She described…

17 Aug

Over 75 Per Cent of Mental Health Beneficiaries Under Punjab’s Health Scheme Aged 18 to 45, Data Shows

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabDr Balbir Singh, mental health, Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, Public Health, Punjab Healthcare

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): 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…

14 Aug

Punjab’s Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana Crosses Six Lakh Treatments Mark, Providing Rs 10 Lakh Cashless Healthcare Cover

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabCancer Care, cashless treatment, Dr Balbir Singh, Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, Punjab Healthcare

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): As India celebrates its 80th Independence Day, freedom from the fear of an unaffordable medical emergency is emerging as an important measure of public welfare. In Punjab, the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) provides cashless treatment of up to ₹10 lakh per family per year and has recorded more than six lakh treatments over the past seven months. State Health Agency data show that 26,18,712 beneficiaries have been enrolled against a reported eligible base of 69,12,697 families. So far, 3,02,906 patients have received treatment, accounting for 6,06,892 treatments and 15,267 procedures. The scheme has 880 empanelled hospitals,…

27 Jul

Punjab’s Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana Delivers Cashless Respiratory Care to Over 14,000 Patients

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabcashless treatment, Dr Balbir Singh, Health Minister, Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, Punjab Healthcare, Respiratory Care

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Breathlessness is often dismissed as mere tiredness. A persistent cough is blamed on changing weather. Wheezing is brushed aside until climbing a flight of stairs becomes a struggle. By then, many patients have already developed serious lung disease that requires prolonged hospitalisation or even major thoracic surgery. Punjab's latest treatment data under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) shows that chronic lung diseases are not affecting only the elderly. A large proportion of patients requiring hospital care belong to the state's working-age population, highlighting the growing health and economic burden of respiratory illnesses. The National Heart, Lung,…

25 Jul

Punjab Government Expands Primary Healthcare Network With 100 New Aam Aadmi Clinics

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabAam Aadmi Clinics, Bhagwant Mann, Dr Balbir Singh, primary healthcare, Punjab Healthcare

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Reaffirming its commitment to providing free and quality healthcare services near the doorsteps of the people, the Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, has launched 100 more Aam Aadmi Clinics across the state. The campaign was formally inaugurated today by Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, who dedicated the newly constructed Aam Aadmi Clinic at Vikas Nagar in Patiala Rural. With the addition of these new clinics, the total number of Aam Aadmi Clinics in Punjab has increased to 1,090. As part of this initiative, Cabinet Ministers, MLAs and…

23 Jul

Mukhyamantri Sehat Yojana Delivers Cashless Healthcare Relief Worth Over Rs 914 Crore Across Punjab

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabcashless medical treatment, Dr Balbir Singh, health card distribution, Mukhyamantri Sehat Yojana, Punjab Healthcare

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh said that the Universal Health Scheme ‘Mukhyamantri Sehat Yojana’, launched by the Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has emerged as a boon for Punjabis by providing cashless free treatment worth more than Rs 914 crore to 5.12 lakh people within just six and a half months of its launch. Addressing a press conference in Patiala and releasing the latest figures, Dr. Balbir Singh said that more than 50.3 lakh e-Health Cards have been issued under the scheme so far. The scheme has…