Punjab Govt achieves a historic milestone as PILBS Mohali performs the state’s first liver transplant in a government hospital under CM Bhagwant Mann.

Marking a significant milestone in tertiary healthcare, the Punjab Government led by Bhagwant Singh Mann has made history by successfully performing the first liver transplant at a state-run institution, the Punjab Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (PILBS) in Mohali.

Presenting the patient who successfully underwent surgery to the media, Punjab Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education and Research Minister Dr. Balbir Singh stated that this marks the first time in Punjab’s medical history that such a delicate and complex procedure has been successfully performed within a government institution. The Minister was accompanied by Principal Secretary of Health, Kumar Rahul.

He emphasized that this lifesaving intervention was administered to the patient at an approximate cost of Rs 12 lakhs, whereas the same procedure typically costs between Rs 45 and Rs 50 lakhs at private institutions. The transplant was conducted on November 27, 2025, and the recipient is recovering satisfactorily, with discharge anticipated within the next one or two days, he added.

Congratulating the medical team led by Director of PILBS and Professor & Head of Hepatology Dr. Virendra Singh, as well as Professor & Head of Liver Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery Dr. K. Rajasekhar, the Health Minister described this achievement as a significant milestone for the institute.

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Dr. Balbir Singh also conveyed his sincere gratitude to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, for facilitating the donation of an organ from a brain-dead individual from Haryana. He also expressed sincere gratitude to the donor’s family for their exemplary act of organ donation, which has granted a new lease on life to numerous individuals.

He stated that the PILBS continues to strengthen its position as Punjab’s premier specialized center for liver and biliary sciences, providing comprehensive care, advanced procedures, and round-the-clock emergency and ICU services. He added that a forthcoming 175-bed patient care block is also in development, further enhancing the Institute’s capacity and range of services.

He stated that the newly constructed Diagnostic Block is now functional following the installation of a Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) equipment. The supply order for the new CT scanner has already been placed, while the procurement process for a new MRI is currently underway, and a new automated biochemistry analyzer will be fully operational within one week. A modern blood bank has also been established, making it one of the most advanced facilities in Punjab.

The Institute continues to dedicate itself to establishing a globally recognized centre of distinction in clinical care, research, and education within hepatobiliary sciences. The Minister highlighted that the CM Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Government is methodically enhancing all Government Medical Colleges with secondary and tertiary care facilities, including existing neuro and cardio laboratories.

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He announced that Government Medical College, Patiala, is poised to become the first state-run institution to provide renal transplantation by the upcoming year, he stated, further adding that all government medical colleges will soon be designated as organ receiving centres. Encouraging public participation in organ donation, Dr. Balbir Singh observed that Punjab, presently ranked ninth nationally with 20,000 registered donors, is on the verge of becoming one of the leading states in the country.

Reaffirming the government’s dedication to providing free treatment for all, the Health Minister stated that the Punjab Government has finalized the agencies responsible for implementing the Rs 10 lakh keyless treatment under Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojna, which is scheduled for a formal launch across the state in January 2026.