Allied Healthcare (GAHC)

In a key move to improve academic and administrative surveillance in medical education, the government of Andhra Pradesh has reconstituted the Executive Council of Dr NTR University of Health Sciences. The council has eight experienced medical practitioners and academicians now, with the appointments getting formal approval from Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

The new additions are well-known names in the state's medical and educational fraternity. They include Dr G Subba Rao, ex-Principal of GMC Guntur, and Dr M Vishunu Mahesh Babu, erstwhile Professor of Anaesthesia in Rangaraya Medical College, Kakinada. They are joined by Dr K Madhavi, Professor of Gynaecology in SVIMS Tirupati, and Dr Surapaneni Suresh Babu, Professor of Orthopaedics in Siddhartha Medical College, Vijayawada.

Also among the recruits are Dr M Jaichandra Naidu, Professor of Radiology at MIMS Vizianagaram; paediatrician Dr Chapara Sudhakar from Amadalavalasa; General Medicine doctor Dr TD Varun Kumar Reddy from Proddatur; and paediatrician Dr Y Sai Kishore based in Vijayawada.

In order to facilitate smooth policy implementation and coordination between departments, five ex-officio members shall also be included in the council. They are the Special Chief Secretary (Health), the Finance Secretary, the Director of Medical Education, the Commissioner of AYUSH, and the Director of Health.

The officials said that the reconstitution is intended to infuse a more academic bent of mind into the decision-making process of the university and ensure better coordination between health education and public healthcare delivery.

Through this heterogeneous and experienced team, we hope that there will be more convergence between medical academia and healthcare policy in the state," commented a Health Department senior official.

The reorganized council will have a significant role to play in formulating curriculum reforms, enhancing infrastructure, and intensifying research in medical institutions associated with the university — making Andhra Pradesh a progressive center for medical education and public health.

First off, Congratulations on clearing NEET!   It is not an easy task to clear NEET(UG) 2025 and you deserve all the happiness you feel. However, when the thrill of the moment is over, one question that may be on your mind is: “Now what?” Fear not, you are not the first to be foundering around and trying to make the right decision with regard to your medical career - thousands of Indian students are already in this situation. This is the fact-checked, practical guide to your top 5 options after clearing NEET.

1. Take Part in NEET Counselling and Bag your Place

The official counselling process is the first step after passing the NEET. All India Quota (AIQ) seats are centralised and counselled by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), with each state having their own state quota counselling process. Ensure you:

• Sign up on the MCC or state official site.
• Have your documents at hand (scorecard, admit card, ID proof etc.).
• Investigate colleges and courses on the basis of your ranking and preferences.

P.S.: When the time to fill comes, during the counselling, fill as many options as possible to give yourself a chance of winning a good seat.

2. Know about MBBS and BDS in India

Undoubtedly, the most common path is to study MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) or BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) in a government or a private college. With your NEET score you can:

• Apply to some of the top government and private colleges in India in MBBS/BDS courses. 
• Flight to quota states provided you are able to qualify since it will have cut-offs.
• Explore think centrals such as AIIMS and JIPMER which according to NEET are deemed universities and take students on ET.

3. Take into consideration Allied Medical Courses or paramedical courses 

In case MBBS or BDS is not your first preference or you wish to take advanced degree courses in other related areas of medicine, then there are a number of associated health science courses that you can avail as per the NEET score:

• BAMS (Ayurveda)
• BHMS (Homeopathy)
• BUMS (Unani)
• BPT (Physiotherapy)
• B.Sc. Nursing
• B.V.Sc. &A.H (Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry)

If you are interested in paramedical courses, here are some trending options you can opt for: 

• Anesthesia Technology
• Operation Theatre (OT) Technology
• Dialysis Technology
• Emergency & Trauma Care

The courses are quite marketable and promising to the students as far as careers in the government and private sector of work are concerned.

4. See Medical Education Abroad

MBBS programs in countries like Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Philippines and China are also available to the NEET-testers. What you need to know is as follows:

• Make sure that the college is enlisted by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
• Inquire about the teaching language and living costs.
• And be ready to pass the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) in India after you finish your degree.

5. Future specializations planning and exams plan 

It is an excellent time to get into long-term thinking. When you have a special interest in a certain field of medicine (say cardiology, pediatrics or surgery), begin to research the areas of super-specialized training into which you can go once you have your MBBS (like MD/MS). 

In case you also wish to study or work in a foreign country, qualifying NEET is great. However, you might also need to take MCAT. Remember, there are competitive exams like FMGE, USMLE (US) and PLAB (UK) that are needed after completing MBBS if you wish to practice medicine abroad. .

Additionally, go to workshops/ webinars and conferences, creating networks and getting to know about new areas in medicine.

Remember, passing NEET(UG) 2025 has opened the door to oceans of possibilities. You may wish to be a doctor and dentist or want to pursue a career in allied medical sciences, the most important thing is to be informed, to plan, and to make such a decision that will enable you to pursue the career based on your passion and strength. It is only the beginning of your medical journey, so do not be afraid and go with what you like!

The Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) in Imphal will reopen its healthcare services, including emergency operations, from the 16th of June 2025.

This follows a period of temporary closure following widespread flooding across the entire campus, which began on 2nd June 2025. The institution has made provision for the work to continue to rejuvenate all the services in full, with normal surgeries to resume soon thereafter.

Apart from health care services, educational activity in JNIMS will likewise resume on the 16th of June 2025. The reopening will include regular classes for undergraduate students pursuing MBBS and BDS courses, in addition to postgraduate trainees. The management has confirmed these details as part of the measures aimed at normalizing activities in the institute.

The flooding, which saw the entire JNIMS campus affected, led to the temporary shutdown of both health and academic services. All the staff, students, and stakeholders who have made tremendous efforts to facilitate the recovery process during this hard time have been appreciated by the administration.

Routine operations, or Routine OT, will also be resumed as restoration makes progress. This is all part of a larger plan to get all healthcare activities back to normal as soon as possible so that the community may resume receiving the medical attention it relies on.

JNIMS is crucial for providing both medical treatment and medical education to the state. The resumption of activities is a significant step to re-initiate normal operations and retain the institute as a significant Manipur healthcare facilitator. The management remains focused on quality healthcare and education.

With the institute to reopen, the resumption of activities is an affirmation of the strength and determination of the JNIMS community. The management expressed appreciation for the effort of oneness, which has contributed much to overcoming the disruption caused by the flooding.

Postgraduate intern doctors at Dr Patnam Mahender Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences (PMRIMS) in Chevella, Telangana, staged a strike on Monday, June 9, for the release of outstanding stipend.

For the last few months, the students have been requesting the college administration to disburse the pending stipends, regularize the stipend payment on monthly basis, and hike the stipend amount at par with the government medical colleges under the Government Order (GO) 59, according to a report by The New Indian Express.

Disturbed by repeated pleas and representation to the college administration regarding the outstanding dues, the students of medicine decided on a strike in the campus of the college.

The second year PG students' stipend was pending since September and the first year batch that joined three months ago was also not paid, the students said.

The problem continued to worsen as the students who were facing difficulties with a paltry stipend amount of Rs.10,000 from the very first year asked that the stipend be hiked because it was not possible to meet the expenditure, the college administration rejected the requests and insisted on remaining at the payment amount.

A second-year PG student, Dr Mohammed Ismail, in an interview with The New Indian Express, said, "We have been requesting the college authorities since the first year to hike the stipend. Though we managed somehow with the paltry amount of Rs.10,000, we requested that they should hike the stipend according to the Go 59, but nothing happened. Also, none of the college authorities are taking responsibility for the matter and washing hands instead of hearing our grievances. We are assigned to work for extended shifts, but not being paid for the same."

According to GO 59 issued by the state government in the year 2023 for the government medical colleges in the state, the PG first year students will be paid a stipend amount of 58,289 and the second year students Rs 61,528.

Similarly, the students at PMRIMS also asked for an increase in the stipend. But the administration was not willing to hike the stipend to even Rs 15000 or Rs 20,000, and they were left hanging.

Students informed that the college administration had a policy of crediting Rs 50,000 to the students' bank accounts to record that the stipend was credited, and then compelled them to return Rs 40,000, retaining with them only Rs 10,000, as per the report by The New Indian Express.

Furthermore, when the first-year students of the new batch requested for release of three months pending dues, the college administration asked the parents to deposit a total amount of six lakhs to the college, which could be made payable as a stipend to the students.

Another first year student informed, "We have been paying the fee on time and have been working sincerely in the long duty hours. We are claiming the stipend, which is our due, but the college authorities instead requested our parents to deposit more money, which could have been utilized to pay our stipends, which is definitely unjust."

Students claimed that they tried to meet the authorities several times during the last one month but in vain, after which they informed the authorities of announcing a strike three days ago, prior to finally sitting in protest on June 9, Monday. They organized an indefinite strike unless and until the college addressed their demands.

When The New Indian Express contacted college authorities, they declined to provide a comment on the matter.

The Union Health Ministry has prohibited medical representatives from entering government hospitals to meet doctors. This directive was published by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on May 28, 2025, and highlights the importance of looking after patients, providing easy access to healthcare and upholding clinical decisions.

Key Takeaways

• Medical representatives are no longer allowed to visit any central government hospitals as of May 28, 2025.
• It is now necessary for pharma companies to share updates using digital methods which lowers the risk of disrupting in-person work.
• Evidence indicates that MR instructs physicians to prescribe promoted drugs more often.
• The ban promotes morality, proper patient care and UCPMP 2024 compliance.
• Both experts and beginners are required to become familiar with digital trends and ethics in marketing.

Understanding the MR Ban in Government Hospital in India

Now, medical representatives of pharmaceutical companies are not allowed to come inside central government hospitals. Hospitals in this category are AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College and their respective medical facilities. Guidelines state that compliance should be clear and strict, with hospital heads reporting back to  Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Health authorities took action following many years of complaints from both patients and healthcare professionals. It was reported by many that there would be outpatient delays, usually because MRs chose to keep doctors busy in long meetings which sometimes hindered the smoothness of seeing patients and consultation. Besides, there has been much debate over how pharmaceutical influence can shape doctors’ decisions about prescribing medications.

Pharmaceutical companies can no longer share updates personally with doctors and must use only email or online methods to do so. The intention behind this move is to uphold good working conditions, reduce interruptions and rely only on medical evidence in making decisions.

The Bigger Picture of the Ban

Studies show that pharmaceutical marketing such as MR visits, enormously influences the prescriptions doctors write. It was discovered in a study that more than a third (34.8%) of Lebanese physicians were encouraged to prescribe promoted drugs by receiving visits from MRs and drug samples.

The Indian pharmaceutical industry has been blamed for unfair marketing methods, including making misleading statements and offering gifts for prescribing drugs. The ban was set in place following the release of the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024 which is aimed at reducing such activities and encouraging transparency.

Eliminating MR access is meant to guarantee that care for patients is the main focus, without interference from business concerns. With these measures, patients should see shorter waiting times, better consultations, and an improved image of government healthcare institutions in the public eye.

Challenges and Opportunities for the Future

1. For Medical Representatives: Traditionally, MRs helped share knowledge of new drugs with doctors and formed professional connections, but now they need to use digital strategies. Moving forward, it will be important to understand digital channels and how to use data for marketing campaigns.
2. For the Medical Profession: It will become important for doctors to use peer-reviewed articles, conferences and online updates to stay informed about new treatment options. Hospitals are required to ensure that the ban is fully obeyed and to observe any efforts to breach it.
3. For companies in the Pharmaceutical Industry: It is important for companies to change their marketing strategies and make them ethical, transparent and centered around digital platforms. Because of this, pharmaceutical companies may focus more on responsible marketing and caring for patients. 

The ban marks a significant cultural shift in the field of Indian healthcare. The administration is making it clear that the focus for doctors remains patients’ well-being. For both professionals and those seeking to become part of the profession. This means believing in ethics, being aware of new technologies and following the best practices in nursing.

People eager to succeed in healthcare should make it a priority to learn the impact of this ban and the wider trends in pharmaceutical marketing. The future is reserved for those who place transparency, integrity, and patient care above everything else. 

Following an escalation of COVID-19 cases, Karnataka Health Department has introduced new guidelines to schools to provide protection for students and cut the spread of the virus. The guidelines are published when city areas have seen an increase with over 20,000 Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) confirmed cases.

There are currently 234 active COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, as of date, India's total of 2,710 active cases. In response to this, strict hygiene procedures have been directed to be put in place at school. The most vital of these include the regular use of hand sanitizers, regular hand washing, and social distancing within the classroom.

The policies require students showing symptoms of cough, cold, or fever to be sent home and brought into the school to be treated. Only after complete recuperation from the symptoms are they allowed to return to school. When a student shows symptoms at school, the parents are called and the student is sent home.

The staff and teachers are also asked to look after their own health and stay away from school if they become sick. The schools must implement these policies for the health safeguarding of students and staff.

In addition to school regulations, the Health Department has also issued public safety regulations. They should wear masks, wash hands frequently, and avoid being in groups. Those showing signs should be given immediate medical attention and undergo a checkup if advised to do so.

In order to manage the rising cases effectively, health centers were instructed to screen a minimum of 5% of ILI cases daily on a day-to-day basis with a specific emphasis on high-risk groups such as the elderly, expectant women, and children. Hospitals were required to report COVID-19 cases on a daily basis on the health portal as well as active monitoring of COVID steps through their Infection Control Committees.

For the public, there has been the provision of a toll-free helpline (1800 425 8330) with health advice, testing advice, and co-infection management advice. The front-foot strategies of the Health Department are a measure of containment of COVID-19 spread and protection of public health during the ongoing surge.