Health Bulletin 21/May/2026 - Video
Overview
In a major boost for medical aspirants ahead of NEET UG 2026 counselling, Karnataka has received approval for 1,122 additional MBBS, BDS and postgraduate medical seats from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Announcing the development, Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said the expansion is expected to strengthen medical education infrastructure across the state while increasing opportunities for students competing for limited medical seats every year. The expansion comes as a significant relief for lakhs of NEET aspirants facing intense competition and soaring cut-offs in medical admissions.
Officials said the Centre has also approved financial assistance of over Rs 1,000 crore to support infrastructure upgrades, including classrooms, laboratories, hospital facilities and academic resources. Experts believe the increase in seats could positively influence counselling trends and slightly improve admission chances across different score ranges, according to The Jan Post.
Karnataka continues to remain one of the country’s most preferred destinations for medical education due to its strong network of government and private medical colleges, attracting students from across India through state and All India Quota admissions.
Authorities investigating the fake MBBS degree scam linked to Sanjivani clinics operating under the National Health Mission (NHM) in Damoh have now traced the alleged mastermind behind the racket.
Medical Dialogues had recently reported that a shocking case of medical fraud has come to light in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh, where police have apprehended three men for allegedly posing as doctors at "Sanjeevani Clinics" operating under the National Health Mission (NHM), officials said. The revelation of this case has sent shockwaves through the Health Department and the administrative machinery alike. Investigations carried out by the Kotwali police revealed that the accused had allegedly been posing as doctors and treating patients at government health centres for nearly a year.
For more details, check out the full story on the link below:
Fake MBBS Degree Racket: Police arrest alleged mastermind from Bhopal
Doctors Cannot Practice Another Profession While Retaining Medical Registration: Kerala HC
Denying permission to a Homeopathy doctor to enrol as an advocate, the Kerala High Court recently held that a registered medical practitioner cannot follow any other profession without cancelling their registration.
The bench held that homeopaths cannot enrol as advocates unless they first cancel their registration as medical practitioners.
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Ebola Death Toll Crosses 100, Centre Directs States to Strengthen Preparedness
Amid growing global concern over the worsening Ebola outbreak in Africa, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava on Wednesday chaired a high-level review meeting with health secretaries of all states and Union territories to assess India’s preparedness and response strategy. The meeting followed the World Health Organisation’s declaration of the Ebola outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). According to WHO data, the outbreak has already resulted in 528 suspected cases and 132 deaths, with the Bundibugyo strain identified as the cause behind the infections.
During the meeting, the Centre directed states and UTs to strengthen surveillance systems, quarantine protocols, hospital preparedness and screening mechanisms at all levels. The Union Health Ministry clarified that no Ebola case has been detected in India so far, but precautionary measures have been intensified considering the rising global threat, reports TOI.
Detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) covering airport screening, laboratory testing, case management and referral systems have already been circulated. Officials also highlighted India’s earlier experience in handling Ebola preparedness during the 2014 outbreak and urged citizens not to panic while continuing to follow official health advisories and updates.
Speakers
