NEET-PG counselling is currently under appeal and encourages resident physicians to end their strike: Mansukh Mandaviya

On Tuesday, the Union Health Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, met with representatives of resident doctors, after their heightened protests over the NEET-PG counselling delay, which is impacting healthcare services at government-run institutions. The demonstration has been going on for quite some time now.

Mandaviya told the journalists after the meeting that the government is unable to proceed with the counselling since the case is still pending before the Supreme Court. On January 6, there will be a hearing on the case.

The health minister expressed his hope that the counselling process would begin soon and asked the protesting resident doctors to end their agitation for the public good. Residents doctors diligently served the nation throughout the coronavirus outbreak.

The conference at Nirman Bhavan came after physicians threatened to shut down all healthcare services across the country" in protest of police brutality against their colleagues just a day before. The physicians have requested an apology for what they believe to be police abuse.

A dramatic turn took place on Monday when gathering by a large number of resident physicians in Delhi, with medics and police officers engaging in a street brawl, with both sides claiming many people were injured in the subsequent violence.

Patients and their families were spotted queuing outside hospitals in Delhi as doctors maintained their strike.