Chandigarh: Punjab’s worsening dog menace has emerged as a major public health concern, with treatment for animal bites becoming the most availed package in govt hospitals under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY). The latest data also points to a high demand for chronic kidney disease treatment, knee replacement surgeries and maternal healthcare services across the state.The trend assumes significance against the backdrop of a sharp rise in dog-bite incidents in Punjab. Official data shows that the state recorded 3.34 lakh dog-bite cases in 2025, averaging nearly 915 cases every day, with Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala among the worst-affected districts.Under the MMSY, treatment for animal bites is covered as an emergency and day-care service. Beneficiaries can avail cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals for bites from rabies-transmitting mammals, including dogs, monkeys, cats and rodents. The coverage includes wound management, anti-rabies vaccination, and rabies immunoglobulin therapy where required.Data available up to June 7, 2026, shows that chronic haemodialysis is the most availed package overall across both govt and private hospitals, underlining the growing burden of chronic kidney disease and the dependence of thousands of patients on regular dialysis treatment.However, within the govt healthcare system, animal bite treatment (excluding snake bites) emerged as the single most booked package, accounting for 20,903 cases. The figures indicate that the scheme is being extensively utilised not only for long-term chronic illnesses but also for common health emergencies requiring immediate medical attention.According to govt hospital data, chronic haemodialysis recorded 11,687 cases, making it the second most utilised package. Knee replacement was the third most booked package with 5,979 cases, highlighting substantial demand for advanced orthopaedic procedures under the scheme. Acute febrile illness (AFI), a sudden rise in body temperature that lasts for 2 to 14 days, accounted for 5,863 cases, while caesarean delivery recorded 5,355 cases, placing maternal healthcare among the five most utilised services under MMSY.Other frequently availed packages included phacoemulsification cataract surgery with foldable hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lens (4,228 cases), acute gastroenteritis with moderate dehydration (4,008), severe anaemia (3,000), SICS cataract surgery (2,269), laceration suturing and dressing (2,077) and pyrexia of unknown origin (2,022).The district-wise analysis reveals that animal bite treatment emerged as the top package in the majority of districts, including Amritsar, Barnala, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Malerkotla, Mansa, Moga, Pathankot, Patiala, Ropar, Sangrur, Muktsar and Tarn Taran.Among these districts, Hoshiarpur reported the highest utilisation with 1,835 cases, followed by Muktsar (1,622), Patiala (1,511) and Jalandhar (1,383).Ludhiana recorded the highest district-level utilisation of chronic haemodialysis with 4,944 cases, while Nawanshahr recorded 2,134 cases and Kapurthala 806 cases, making dialysis the leading package in these districts.In Bathinda, knee replacement emerged as the most availed package with 1,717 cases, making it the only district where knee replacement topped utilisation charts. Similarly, Gurdaspur’s most utilised package was phacoemulsification cataract surgery, accounting for 858 cases, while Mohali recorded acute febrile illness as its leading package with 366 cases.
