Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Punjab scripts history as first-ever kidney transplant performed at GMC Patiala
Patient and Donor Wife Recovering Well; Surgery Conducted Free of Cost Under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, September 15, 2026: Punjab has achieved a major milestone in public healthcare with Government Medical College (GMC), Patiala, successfully performing its first-ever kidney transplant, becoming the first state-run medical college in the state to achieve the feat.
The kidney transplant was performed on September 10, 2026, Punjab Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education and Research Minister Dr Balbir Singh said at a press conference at Punjab Bhawan on Tuesday.
The procedure was carried out completely free of cost under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY), ensuring no out-of-pocket expenditure for the patient’s family. Dr Balbir Singh said a similar procedure in private hospitals could cost between ₹8 lakh and ₹12 lakh.
The recipient, a 37-year-old resident of Romana Patti, Namol, in Sangrur district, was suffering from kidney failure caused by Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis (MPGN) and had been undergoing maintenance haemodialysis three times a week since December 2025.
His 29-year-old wife voluntarily donated her kidney following medical evaluation. Both the recipient and donor are clinically stable and recovering under observation in the dedicated Transplant ICU, the minister said.
During the press conference, Dr Balbir Singh interacted with the patient and his wife through a video call to enquire about their health and congratulated the medical teams involved in the transplant.
The surgical team was led by Prof. Sarbpreet Singh and included Prof. HBS Sandhu and Dr Supran Sharma. The nephrology team was headed by Dr Thakurveer Kohli, while the anaesthesia team was led by Dr Tanveer Kundra. Director Principal and Head of Medicine Dr RPS Sibia was also involved in the programme.
Dr Balbir Singh also thanked the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, for its support in establishing the renal transplant programme at GMC Patiala. He particularly acknowledged PGIMER Director Prof. Vivek Lal, Prof. Ashish Sharma, Head of Renal Transplant Surgery and ROTTO-North, and the Department of Immunopathology for providing mentorship, training, technical guidance and on-site surgical supervision.
The development follows successful liver transplant procedures at the Punjab Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (PILBS), Mohali, marking another significant expansion of advanced organ-transplant services in Punjab’s government healthcare system.