NEET-PG counselling sub judice, Mandaviya urges doctors to end stir

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya, during a meeting with representatives of protesting resident doctors, urged them to call off the same as an intensified agitation over the delay in NEET-PG counselling across the country affected healthcare services at government-run hospitals. Addressing the media after the meeting with a delegation of the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), Mandaviya said the government is unable to go ahead with the counselling as the matter is sub judice and being heard by the Supreme Court. The health minister said the government is taking all requisite steps and a suitable reply with respect to the EWS report will be submitted to apex court before the next date of hearing on January 6. “We request the court to expedite the issue so that the counselling can be started at the earliest,” he added.

The meeting at Nirman Bhavan took place in the wake of the doctors threatening to withdraw all healthcare services across the country "in protest against brute force by Delhi Police against” their colleagues a day ago. The doctors have demanded an apology for alleged police brutality. While doctors across hospitals in Delhi continued their agitation, patients and their family members were seen standing in long queues outside the facilities.