Free Diabetes Care in Punjab 2026: NCD Clinics, Insulin Card and Helpline 1033

Many families in Punjab know about the Sehat Card, but far fewer know that free diabetes care in Punjab is available every week at government hospitals through dedicated clinics for non-communicable diseases. The Punjab Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases programme runs screening and follow-up at district and tehsil hospitals in all 36 districts. If you or a family member has diabetes, these clinics are the first place for testing, diagnosis and follow-up.

What NCD Clinics Do for Diabetes Patients

• Free screening: NCD clinics check blood sugar and blood pressure for people who walk in with symptoms or risk factors for diabetes.
• Lab confirmation: A raised screening result is confirmed with laboratory tests before any diagnosis is recorded for the patient.
• Patient registration: Confirmed patients are registered at the clinic, so their treatment and follow-up visits can be tracked over time.
• Scheduled follow-up: Registered patients return on a schedule for review, which helps doctors adjust treatment before complications develop.

Where to Find a Diabetes Clinic Near You

• District hospitals: Screening desks and NCD clinics operate at 26 district headquarters hospitals across Punjab.
• Tehsil hospitals: Another 104 tehsil headquarters hospitals run NCD clinics, bringing care much closer to smaller towns.
• Every district: Together, these 130 hospitals cover all 36 districts, so no district is left without a clinic in the programme.
• Start at DHQ or THQ: Visit your nearest district or tehsil headquarters hospital and ask for the NCD clinic or diabetes screening desk.
• Check before travelling: Call the Punjab health helpline on 1033 for directions if you are unsure which hospital runs the clinic.

CM Insulin Card for Children With Type 1 Diabetes

• Who it helps: The CM Insulin Card was launched for children with type 1 diabetes in Punjab, who need insulin every day for life.
• Home delivery: Under launch reports from May 2025, free insulin is delivered to the child’s home, sparing families repeated hospital trips.
• Reported reach: Launch reports put the early number at about 1,500 children, but this figure is reported, not published on the official programme site.
• Follow-up visits: Children on the card are followed up through quarterly visits at district hospitals, according to launch reports.
• Check eligibility: Detailed eligibility rules are not published on the health department website, so call 1033 to check before assuming coverage.

What the Sehat Card Does and Does Not Cover

• Hospital stays: The Sehat Card pays for treatment when a patient is admitted to an empanelled hospital for inpatient care.
• Complication cover: If diabetes causes a complication needing admission, such as a foot infection or very high sugar, the card can pay for that stay.
• Home insulin gap: The card does not pay for monthly insulin, test strips or routine clinic visits used at home, according to the health company.
• Medicines rule: Medicines and laboratory tests are covered only when the patient is admitted, not for ordinary outpatient treatment.
• Use both routes: Use NCD clinics for routine diabetes care, and keep the Sehat Card ready for any hospital admission that becomes necessary.

Punjab’s Wider Free Treatment Programmes

• Large free care: Free medical treatment worth more than Rs 36.5 billion has been provided under Punjab’s specialised health programmes.
• Heart surgery: The Chief Minister’s Adult Cardiac Surgery Programme provides free heart treatment worth about Rs 3 billion every year.
• Cancer care: The Special Initiative for Cancer Patients funds diagnosis, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery and medical therapy at about Rs 10 billion a year.
• Stroke care: Free stroke treatment worth about Rs 1.25 billion a year is provided under the Special Initiative for Stroke Management.
• Children’s hearts: More than 16,391 children have received free heart surgery across Punjab under the Children’s Heart Surgery Programme.
• Dialysis scale: Free dialysis has reached more than 2.484 million patients, with over 50,753 patients registered at hospitals for dialysis.

What to Check Before You Visit a Hospital

• Admission pause: In late October 2026, private hospitals were told to pause new admissions for some services, including general surgery and orthopaedic care.
• Protected services: Dialysis, cancer treatment, cardiac surgery and transplant programmes were exempt, and hospitals were told not to refuse those patients.
• Funds delay: The health company linked the pause to a delay in releasing funds, and said the programme itself had not been discontinued.
• Confirm first: Call the hospital or helpline 1033 before travelling for an admission, so you are not turned away after a long journey.
• Keep documents ready: Carry your CNIC, clinic registration and test reports, because they speed up admission and verification at the hospital.

Conclusion

Free diabetes care in Punjab already exists beyond the Sehat Card, through NCD clinics at 130 district and tehsil hospitals and the children’s Insulin Card for home delivery. The practical path is simple: get screened at your nearest district or tehsil hospital, register for follow-up, and call 1033 whenever you are unsure. Early testing and regular follow-up protect far more than late treatment ever can.

FAQs

Where can I get free diabetes testing in Punjab? At NCD clinics in 26 district hospitals and 104 tehsil hospitals, covering all 36 districts.

Does the Sehat Card pay for insulin at home? No, the card covers medicines only during a hospital admission, not monthly insulin or test strips at home.

What is the CM Insulin Card? It is a reported scheme giving free insulin at home to children with type 1 diabetes, with quarterly hospital follow-up.

Who do I call for diabetes care directions? Call the Punjab health helpline on 1033 for clinic locations and eligibility guidance.