Punjab Sanctions INR 26.5 Cr under NHM to Boost Hospital Diagnostics

The funding covers procurement of laboratory reagents, X-ray films and payments to empanelled ultrasound service providers.

The Punjab health department has sanctioned more than INR 26.5 Cr to reinforce hospital diagnostics across government healthcare facilities, aiming to prevent service disruptions caused by shortages of essential diagnostic supplies and delayed payments to service providers.

This allocation has been approved under the National Health Mission and is intended to meet immediate requirements as well as projected needs for the next six months. The funding covers procurement of laboratory reagents, X-ray films and payments to empanelled ultrasound service providers, all of which form the backbone of routine hospital diagnostics in the public health system.

Public sector hospital diagnostics in Punjab have faced recurring operational constraints in recent years, including supply gaps, staffing shortages and equipment-related issues. Diagnostic services are a critical entry point for timely clinical decision-making, especially in district hospitals and secondary care facilities that serve a large patient load. Under NHM, diagnostics support has been prioritised to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure and ensure equitable access to essential tests.

According to the official order, district health societies have been directed to carry out procurement strictly in line with the Punjab Transparency in Public Procurement Rules, 2022.

The funds are to be used only for their specified purpose, with separate expenditure records and mandatory utilisation reports to be submitted to the state headquarters. Any excess or unutilised amount must be refunded, and diversion of funds will attract disciplinary action under the Punjab Punishment and Appeal Rules, 1970.

The distribution of funds reflects district-level demand for hospital diagnostics. Ludhiana has the highest projected requirement at INR 2.76 Cr, followed by Hoshiarpur at INR 2.54 Cr and Mohali at INR 1.92 Cr. Other major allocations include Bathinda with INR 1.42 Cr, Sangrur with INR 1.27 Cr, Ropar with INR 78.99 lakh, Nawanshahr with INR 73.27 lakh and Gurdaspur with INR 66.17 lakh. These estimates are based on workload, service volume and anticipated diagnostic consumption.

The order also highlights persistent challenges affecting hospital diagnostics delivery in several districts. These include shortages of laboratory technicians and radiographers, damage to diagnostic equipment due to floods and non-functional X-ray machines, which together continue to limit service availability in some government hospitals. Such gaps have increased reliance on outsourced diagnostics, particularly ultrasound services, making timely payments essential to sustain partnerships.

To address this, civil surgeons have been instructed to ensure that payments to empanelled ultrasound service providers are cleared within 15 days of receipt of bills. The order explicitly states that no payments shall be made in cash, reinforcing transparency and digital financial practices within hospital diagnostics administration.

Expenditure on laboratory reagents and X-ray films will be made under the Diagnostics Support component of the Hub and Spoke Model, in accordance with state government guidelines issued on September 13, 2025. Civil surgeons have also been directed to ensure that no liabilities incurred before September 1, 2025, are settled using these funds.

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