He said that PILBS continues to expand as Punjab's first dedicated liver and biliary sciences centre.
Punjab's First Successful Liver Transplant at Government Institute in Mohali
Punjab’s healthcare system has completed the successful completion of the first liver transplant at a government-run institute, the Punjab Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (PILBS) in Mohali, under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann’s government.
Punjab Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education and Research Minister Dr Balbir Singh addressed the media alongside the successfully operated patient on Tuesday. He stated that this is the first time such a complex and delicate surgery has been successfully performed at a state-run institute in Punjab. He was accompanied by Principal Secretary Health, Kumar Rahul.
Dr Balbir Singh highlighted that the life-saving procedure was conducted at an approximate cost of INR 12 lakh, significantly lower than the INR 45-50 lakh charged at private hospitals. The liver transplant was performed on November 27, 2025, and the patient is under recovery, with discharge expected in the next few days.
The Health Minister congratulated the medical team led by Dr Virendra Singh, Director of PILBS and Professor & Head of Hepatology, and Dr K Rajasekhar, Professor & Head of Liver Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery, and described this achievement as a major milestone for the institute.
Dr Singh expressed gratitude to PGIMER, Chandigarh, for providing the organ from a brain-dead donor from Haryana and also extended heartfelt thanks to the donor’s family for their exemplary act of organ donation, which has benefitted multiple recipients.
He said that PILBS continues to expand as Punjab’s first dedicated liver and biliary sciences centre, offering comprehensive care, advanced procedures, 24x7 emergency, and ICU services. A 175-bed patient care block is under construction to further enhance capacity and services.
The minister also highlighted new facilities at the institute, including a fully operational Diagnostic Block with a Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) machine. An order for a new CT scanner has been placed, MRI tenders are in progress, and a new automated biochemistry analyser will be operational within a week. The institute now also houses a state-of-the-art blood bank, among the most advanced in Punjab.
Dr Balbir Singh reiterated that the CM-led government is equipping all government medical colleges with secondary and tertiary care facilities, including existing neuro and cardio labs.
He announced that Government Medical College, Patiala, is set to offer renal transplantation by the coming year and added that all government medical colleges will soon become organ receiving centres.
Dr Singh urged citizens to pledge for organ donation and noted that Punjab currently ranks 9th nationally with 20,000 registered donors and is on track to become one of the top states in this sector.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to free healthcare and informed that agencies have been finalised to implement Rs 10 lakh cashless treatment under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojna, which will be launched statewide in January 2026
