The Punjab government has released ₹26.5 crore under the National Health Mission to modernise diagnostic services in public sector hospitals, addressing longstanding gaps in timely and reliable testing across the state. The sanction, cleared on January 24, 2026, follows a detailed review of equipment shortages, high referral rates to private facilities, and delays in critical investigations that affect patient outcomes, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.

The funding will be utilised for a targeted upgrade programme covering district hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals, and high-volume community health centres. Priority areas include the procurement of fully automated biochemistry and haematology analysers to handle large sample volumes with minimal manual intervention, digital radiography systems to replace conventional X-ray machines, high-resolution ultrasound units for obstetrics and general imaging, and cold-chain refrigerators/freezers to ensure sample integrity for microbiology and serology tests. Additional resources will support quality control reagents, calibration tools, and training for lab technicians.

Health officials noted that many public facilities currently rely on outdated semi-automated analysers or outsource tests to private labs, leading to increased costs for patients and delays in treatment initiation. The new equipment is expected to enable in-house processing of over 80% of routine investigations, significantly reducing average turnaround times from days to hours for most tests.

Punjab Health & Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh highlighted the patient-centric focus: “Diagnostics are the foundation of effective treatment. By strengthening our public labs with modern technology, we are ensuring faster, accurate results and reducing the financial burden on families who often pay out-of-pocket for outsourced tests. This investment will directly support early diagnosis and better management of diseases like diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis, and maternal complications.”

The initiative aligns with the National Health Mission’s emphasis on strengthening secondary care infrastructure and reducing dependence on private diagnostics. It also complements ongoing efforts under Ayushman Bharat to digitise health records and integrate lab results into patient ABHA profiles for seamless continuity of care.

Implementation will be phased, with first-wave procurements and installations targeted for completion by mid-2026. The department has been directed to ensure regular maintenance contracts, technician training, and quality assurance protocols to sustain the upgrades over the long term.

This allocation is seen as a timely response to rising demand for reliable public sector diagnostics in Punjab, where chronic diseases and maternal/child health issues remain major burdens. By enhancing in-house testing capacity, the state aims to improve health outcomes, reduce referral leakage, and strengthen trust in government healthcare facilities.