Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyothi scheme helps save nearly 16,000 cardiac patients in Karnataka

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The ‘Dr. Puneeth Rajkumar Heart Health scheme” (Hrudaya Jyoti) was launched in 2024 to minimise delays in diagnosing and treating heart attack patients in rural areas, and is being implemented through a hub-and-spoke model. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Early diagnosis and timely intervention at taluk hospitals have helped save the lives of nearly 16,000 patients with serious cardiac complications under the Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyoti scheme of the government of Karnataka.

According to the Health Department, 11,78,504 people have been screened under the programme since its launch in March 2023. During this period, doctors identified 18,804 cases of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), a severe type of heart attack that requires urgent medical attention. Of these, 15,908 patients — accounting for 84.6% of the cases — were successfully treated.

The State Government named Karnataka’s STEMI management project at the taluk level after actor Puneeth Rajkumar in 2023. The initiative was launched to minimise delays in diagnosing and treating heart attack patients in rural areas, and is being implemented through a hub-and-spoke model.

Officials said Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled technology has played a key role in facilitating rapid diagnosis. Patients are categorised based on the severity of their condition, enabling doctors to quickly identify critical cases and initiate treatment. As part of the programme, 1,560 patients have received the costly Tenecteplase injection free of charge since May 2024.

Raghunandan, State Deputy Director (Non-Communicable Diseases), said that 12,26,816 electrocardiograms (ECGs) had been conducted since the scheme’s inception. “Of these, 18,804 STEMI cases were identified. A total of 15,908 patients survived after they received treatment through thrombolysis, angioplasty, stenting, and Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) procedures,” he said.

At present, 86 district and taluk hospitals function as ‘spoke’ centres, while 10 ‘hu