In a landmark stride for public healthcare under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab’s AI-Driven Stroke Project has emerged as a national trailblazer, placing the state at the forefront of artificial intelligence deployment in emergency medical care.
This transformative hub-and-spoke model, developed through a visionary collaboration between the Government of Punjab, CMC Ludhiana, Qure.ai, and Medtronic, is delivering measurable, life-changing results and setting a new standard for AI-assisted healthcare delivery in India.
Applauding the initiative’s early success, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh shared that in just a few months of operation, the network has screened over 700 suspected stroke patients. Notably, six patients suffering from severe strokes have undergone a complex, life-saving procedure known as Mechanical Thrombectomy, completely free of cost.
“Through this project, we are not just saving lives but also preventing devastating disabilities. The Punjab Government is providing the Mechanical Thrombectomy procedure, which can cost between ₹5 to ₹6 lakh in private hospitals, entirely free of cost to patients. This ensures that financial constraints do not stand in the way of a patient’s recovery and a second chance at life,” said the Health Minister.
Under the project, suspected stroke patients reaching the spoke centres—district hospitals in Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Sangrur, and Government Medical College Patiala—immediately undergo a CT scan. The images are swiftly analysed by AI software from Qure.ai, generating results within minutes and transmitting them to the expert neurologist team at the central hub, Christian Medical College (CMC) Ludhiana.
Led by Dr Jeyaraj Pandian, Dr Ivy Sebastian, and Dr Rajeshwar Sahonta, the CMC specialists provide real-time, remote guidance to doctors at the spoke centres. For patients identified as needing advanced intervention, a rapid transfer to CMC Ludhiana is coordinated to perform life-saving procedures.
Dr Balbir Singh highlighted the profound impact of the initiative, stating,
“This is a transformative model that delivers swift, expert care directly to citizens in their moment of greatest need. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government is fully committed to expanding this proven initiative across Punjab to ensure equitable access to world-class stroke care for all.”
Mechanical Thrombectomy is a minimally invasive, life-saving procedure that removes a blood clot from a brain artery during a severe ischemic stroke. The intervention must be performed within a critical time window to restore blood flow to the brain, dramatically lowering the risk of death and long-term disability.
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