Santo Domingo.- Vice President Raquel Peña dismissed claims that the National Health Insurance (SeNaSa) is facing a financial crisis, responding to concerns raised by the opposition party Fuerza del Pueblo and the Dominican Medical Association.

Peña emphasized that SeNaSa’s finances are stable and that the government continues to support the institution. She cited President Luis Abinader’s recent remarks, stating that while more resources may be needed, there is no crisis. She also noted that nearly two million people have joined the system under the current administration, reflecting progress toward universal healthcare.

Her remarks came during the reopening of the Fencing Pavilion at the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center.

The opposition, however, claims SeNaSa has suffered a decline in management and finances, citing a rise in provider debt from 0.97% in 2020 to 44% in 2024, along with delays in medical services and operational issues. SeNaSa has yet to respond publicly to these accusations.

After all, the world keeps spinning no matter what the thermometer says. Hope you have a successful day and conquer the world. And of course, do keep in touch. …

Novo Nordisk’s top executives ignored internal warnings that the company was not sufficiently prepared for the launch of its weight loss drug Wegovy, leaving the drugmaker in a more vulnerable position when rival Eli Lilly entered the market, Reuters reports. Novo has enjoyed $46 billion in net profits since 2021, when Wegovy became the first highly effective obesity treatment approved in the U.S. But Lilly’s Zepbound therapy outstripped Wegovy in weekly new prescriptions this year as Novo struggles to convince investors it can remain competitive amid the weight loss drug boom. Novo is reorganizing its leadership team following the surprise ouster of chief executive office Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen. Other key executives already stepped down, including U.S. chief Doug Langa, who had insisted on a commercial launch soon after Wegovy’s U.S. approval. In heated internal discussions, sales and marketing executives urged Langa to first secure more supply and health insurance coverage, without which many patients could not afford Wegovy’s monthly cost of up to $1,300. Lilly was not expected to enter the market for at least two years and Novo could have been better prepared, according to former employees.

The House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed a former Pfizer executive who is considered central to its investigation into an allegation that clinical testing related to the development of the company’s Covid-19 vaccine was purposefully delayed until after the 2020 presidential election, CNN reports. The demand for documents and a deposition from Philip Dormitzer comes after the committee says he failed to comply with requests to appear voluntarily and turn over records. Dormitzer is a key figure in the legislative probe. The committee has alleged it had information that the former Pfizer executive, after he left for a job with GSK, told his colleagues that Pfizer had delayed announcing its Covid vaccine was effective until after the election. The Wall Street Journal had reported that GSK brought those claims to federal prosecutors in Manhattan. But Dormitzer disputed that there had been any delay in seeking approval for the vaccine.

Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…

PAHO and SEGIB strengthen their partnership for a healthier and more inclusive Ibero-America

Cristina Mitchell

30 Jun 2025

View the full post CARPHA and OECS commit to empowering men to prioritise wellness and longevity on NOW Grenada.

AbbVie said Monday that it would pay up to $2.1 billion to acquire Capstan Therapeutics, a startup developing CAR-T therapies for autoimmune conditions, fibrosis, and cancer. 

AbbVie will pay up to $2.1 billion in cash when the deal closes, according to a press release. The companies did not give further details about the financial terms or a timeline for completing the acquisition. 

Capstan launched in 2022 and has raised around $340 million from OrbiMed, Vida Ventures, RA Capital, Polaris Partners, and the venture teams at Pfizer, Bayer, Eli Lilly and Company, and Bristol Myers Squibb. It was last valued at around $500 million, according to Pitchbook. 

Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…

CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — Last September, Alton Fry went to the doctor concerned he had high blood pressure. The trip would result in a prostate cancer diagnosis.

So began the stress of trying to pay for tens of thousands of dollars in treatment — without health insurance.

“I’ve never been sick in my life, so I’ve never needed insurance before,” said Fry, a 54-year-old self-employed masonry contractor who restores old buildings in the rural Appalachian community he’s called home nearly all his life.

Making sure he had insurance was the last thing on his mind, until recently, Fry said. He had been rebuilding his life after a prison stay, maintaining his sobriety, restarting his business, and remarrying his wife. “Things got busy,” he said.

Now, with a household income of about $48,000, Fry and his wife earn too much to qualify for Georgia’s limited Medicaid expansion. And he said he found that the health plans sold on the state’s Affordable Care Act exchange were too expensive or the coverage too limited.

In late April, a friend launched a crowdfunding campaign to help Fry cover some of the costs. To save money, Fry said, he’s taking a less aggressive treatment route than his doctor recommended.

“There is no help for middle-class America,” he said.

More than 26 million Americans lacked health insurance in the first six months of 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The uninsured are mostly low-income adults under age 65, and people of color, and most live in the South and West. The uninsured rate in the 10 states that, like Georgia, have not expanded Medicaid to nearly all low-income adults was 14.1% in 2023, compared with 7.6% in expansion states, according to KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News.

Health policy researchers expect the number of uninsured to swell as the second Trump administration and a GOP-controlled Congress try to enact policies that explicitly roll back health coverage for the first time since the advent of the modern U.S. health system in the early 20th century.

Under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — budget legislation that would achieve some of President Donald Trump’s priorities, like extending tax cuts mainly benefiting the wealthy — some 10.9 million Americans would lose health insurance by 2034, according to estimates by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office based on a House version of the budget bill.

A Senate version of the bill could result in more people losing Medicaid coverage, with reductions in federal spending and rules that would make it harder for people to qualify. But that bill suffered a major blow June 26 when the Senate parliamentarian, a nonpartisan official who enforces the chamber’s rules, rejected several health provisions — including the proposal to gradually reduce provider taxes, a mechanism that nearly every state uses to increase its federal Medicaid funding.

The number could rise to 16 million if proposed rule changes to the ACA take effect and tax credits that help people pay for ACA plans expire at the end of the year, according to the CBO. In KFF poll results released in June, nearly two-thirds of people surveyed viewed the bill unfavorably and more than half said they were worried federal funding cuts would hurt their family’s ability to obtain and afford health care.

Like Fry, more people would be forced to pay for health expenses out-of-pocket, leading to delays in care, lost access to needed doctors and medications, and poorer physical and financial health.

“The effects could be catastrophic,” said Jennifer Tolbert, deputy director of KFF’s Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured.

The House-passed bill would represent the largest reduction in federal support for Medicaid and health coverage in history, she said. If the Senate approves it, it would be the first time Congress moved to eliminate coverage for millions of people.

“This would take us back,” Tolbert said.

A Patchwork System

The United States is the only wealthy country where a substantial number of citizens lack health insurance, due to nearly a century of pushback against universal coverage from doctors, insurance companies, and elected officials.

“The complexity is everywhere throughout the system,” said Sherry Glied, dean of New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service, who worked in the George H.W. Bush, Clinton, and Obama administrations. “The big bug is that people fall between the cracks.”

This year, KFF Health News is speaking to Americans about the challenges they face in finding health insurance and the effects on their ability to get care; to providers who serve the uninsured; and to policy experts about why, even when the nation hit its lowest recorded uninsured rate in 2023, nearly a tenth of the U.S. population still lacked health coverage.

So far, the reporting has found that despite decades of policies designed to increase access to care, the very structure of the nation’s health insurance system creates the opposite effect.

Government-backed universal coverage has eluded U.S. policymakers for decades.

After lobbying from physician groups, President Franklin D. Roosevelt abandoned plans to include universal health coverage in the Social Security Act of 1935. Then, because of a wage and salary cap used to control inflation during World War II, more employers offered health insurance to lure workers. In 1954, health coverage was formally exempted from income tax requirements, which led more employers to offer the benefit as part of compensation packages.

Insurance coverage offered by employers came to form the foundation of the U.S. health system. But eventually, problems with linking health insurance to employment emerged.

“We realized, well, wait, not everybody is working,” said Heidi Allen, an associate professor at the Columbia School of Social Work who studies the impact of social policies on access to care. “Children aren’t working. People who are elderly are not working. People with disabilities are not working.”

Yet subsequent efforts to expand coverage to all Americans were met with backlash from unions who wanted health insurance as a bargaining chip, providers who didn’t want government oversight, and those who had coverage through their employers.

That led policymakers to add programs piecemeal to make health insurance accessible to more Americans.

There’s Medicare for older adults and Medicaid for people with low incomes and disabilities, both created in 1965; the Children’s Health Insurance Program, created in 1997; the ACA’s exchange plans and Medicaid expansion for people who can’t access job-based coverage, created in 2010.

As a result, the U.S. has a patchwork of health insurance programs with numerous interest groups vying for dollars, rather than a cohesive system, health policy researchers say.

Falling Through the Cracks

The lack of a cohesive system means that, even though Americans are eligible for health insurance, they struggle to access it, said Mark Shepard, an associate professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. No central entity exists in the U.S. to ensure that all people have a plan, he said.

Over half of the uninsured might qualify for Medicaid or subsidies that can help cover the costs of an ACA plan, according to KFF. But many people aren’t aware of their options or can’t navigate overlapping programs — and even subsidized coverage can be unaffordable.

Those who have fallen through the cracks said it feels like the system has failed them.

Yorjeny Almonte of Allentown, Pennsylvania, earns about $2,600 a month as an inspector in a cabinet warehouse. When she started her job in December 2023, she didn’t want to spend nearly 10% of her income on health insurance.

But, last year, her uninsured mom chose to fly to the Dominican Republic to get care for a health concern. So Almonte, 23, who also needed to see a doctor, investigated her employer’s health offerings. By then she had missed the deadline to sign up.

“Now I have to wait another year,” she said.

In January, Camden, Alabama, resident Kiana George, who’s uninsured, landed in an intensive care unit months after she stopped seeing a nurse practitioner and taking blood pressure medications — an ordeal that saddled her with nearly $7,000 in medical bills.

George, 30, was kicked off Medicaid in 2023 after she got hired by an after-school program. It pays $800 a month, an income too high to qualify her for Medicaid in Alabama, which hasn’t expanded to cover most low-income adults. She also doesn’t make enough for a free or reduced-cost ACA plan.

George, who has a 9-year-old daughter, said she “has no idea” how she can repay the debt from the emergency room visit. And because she fears more bills, she has given up on treatment for ovarian cysts.

“It hurts, but I’m just gonna take my chances,” she said.

Widening the Gaps

Health insurance is fundamentally a financial product, intended to protect the policyholder’s pocketbook from accidents or illnesses.

Researchers have known for decades that a lack of insurance coverage leads to poor access to health care, said Tom Buchmueller, a health economist at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

“It’s only more recently we’ve had really good, strong evidence that shows that health insurance really does improve health outcomes,” Buchmueller said.

Research released this spring by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that expanding Medicaid reduced low-income adults’ chances of dying by 2.5%. In 2019, a separate study published by that nonpartisan think tank provided experimental evidence that health insurance coverage reduced mortality among middle-aged adults.

In late May, the House narrowly advanced the budget legislation that independent government analysts said would result in millions of Americans losing health insurance coverage and reduce federal spending on programs like Medicaid by billions of dollars.

A key provision would require some Medicaid enrollees to work, volunteer, or complete other qualifying activities for 80 hours a month, starting at the end of 2026. Most Medicaid enrollees already work or have some reason they can’t, such as a disability, according to KFF.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has defended the requirement as “moral.”

“If you are able to work and you refuse to do so, you are defrauding the system. You’re cheating the system,” he told CBS News in the wake of the bill’s passage.

A Senate version of the bill also includes work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks for Medicaid recipients.

Fiscal conservatives argue a solution is needed to curb health care’s rising costs.

The U.S. spends about twice as much per capita on health care as other wealthy nations, and that spending would grow under the GOP’s budget bill, said Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute, a think tank that supports less government spending on health care.

But the bill doesn’t address the root causes of administrative complexity or unaffordable care, Cannon said. To do that would entail, for instance, doing away with the tax break for employer-sponsored care, which he said fuels excessive spending, raises prices, and ties health insurance to employment. He said the bill should cut federal funding for Medicaid, not just limit its growth.

The bill would throw more people into a high-cost health care landscape with little protection, said Aaron Carroll, president and CEO of AcademyHealth, a nonpartisan health policy research nonprofit.

“There’s a ton of evidence that shows that if you make people pay more for health care, they get less health care,” he said. “There’s lots of evidence that shows that disproportionately affects poor, sicker people.”

Labon McKenzie, 45, lives in Georgia, the only state that requires some Medicaid enrollees to work or complete other qualifying activities to obtain coverage.

He hasn’t been able to work since he broke multiple bones after he fell through a skylight while on the job three years ago. He got fired from a county road and bridge crew after the accident and hasn’t been approved for Social Security or disability benefits.

“I can’t stand up too long,” he said. “I can’t sit down too long.”

In February, McKenzie started seeing double, but canceled an appointment with an ophthalmologist because he couldn’t come up with the $300 the doctor wanted in advance. His cousin gave him an eye patch to tide him over, and, in desperation, he took expired eye drops his daughter gave him. “I had to try something,” he said.

McKenzie, who lives in rural Fort Gaines, wants to work again. But without benefits, he can’t get the care he needs to become well enough.

“I just want my body fixed,” he said.

Have you recently lost your health insurance coverage? Have you been uninsured for a while? Click here to contact KFF Health News and share your story.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

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New Delhi- The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) began the National Eligibility and Entrance Test-Master of Dental Surgery (NEET MDS) Counselling for the academic year 2025. In this regard, MCC has released the information bulletin detailing the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the counselling process.

As per the information bulletin, the NEET MDS Counselling 2025 will be conducted by the MCC in 4 rounds, i.e. round 1, 2, 3 and Stray Vacancy Round for AIQ, Deemed University, Central University and Institutes.

Below are the FAQs-

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q1 When will the online allotment process for this year start?

A Online allotment process will start as per the counselling Schedule for PG online counselling for the current academic year.

Q2 Do I have to report to any counselling centre for registration or choice filling?

A No. Online registration and choice filling can be done from a place of convenience (Including from home) using the internet. An uninterrupted internet facility should be ensured.

Q3 What information do I require for online registration?

A Please note that you will be asked to fill in some of the information (we are not showing it here for security reasons) that you have given in your application form of NBE, admit card of examination during online registration and provided by the examination conducting agency (NBE). Therefore, keep a copy of your application form and admit card ready for reference. These documents may be retained as they may be required till you complete your PG course.

Q4 How do I get a password for logging in?

A During the process of online registration, you will generate your own password. Candidates are advised to keep the password that they have created confidential to them till the end of the counselling process. They can change the password after creating it. A password is very important for participating in the online allotment process. Sharing of a password can result in its misuse by somebody else, leading to even exclusion of a genuine candidate from the online allotment process.

Q5 How much time will I be given to join the allotted course?

A Candidates who are allotted seats will be required to join the allotted college/course within the stipulated time from the date of allotment as mentioned in the counselling schedule. However, candidates are advised to join as early as possible and not to wait for last day of joining, due to different schedule of holiday/working hoursin various Medical/Dental Colleges, also keeping in view that Medical/Dental colleges will have to furnish information about joining/non- joining status of candidates on Medical Counseling Committee portal. In some of the Colleges, it may take 2 to 3 days’ time for completion of admission formalities.

Q6 What documents are required at the time of joining in allotted Medical / Dental College?

A Original documents required at the time of joining in allotted Medical/Dental College are as mentioned below-

1 Allotment Letter issued by MCC (Essential document).

2 Admit Card issued by NBE (Essential document).

3 Result/Rank Letter issued by NBE (Essential document).

4 Mark Sheets of MBBS/BDS 1st, 2 nd & 3rd Professional Examinations.

5 BDS Degree Certificate/Provisional Certificate. (Essential document).

6 Internship Completion Certificate/Certificate from the Head of Institution or College stating that the candidate shall complete the Internship by 31st March of the year of admission.

Permanent/provisional Registration Certificate issued by MCI or DCI/State Medical or Dental Council. Provisional Registration Certificate is acceptable only in cases where the candidate is undergoing internship and likely to complete the same on or before 30th June of the year of admission.

Q7 What are the various fees to be paid at the time of registration?

A The following table explains the answer to the question-

S.NO

PAYMENT SCHEME FOR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES

NON-REFUNDABLE (FEES)

REFUNDABLE (SECURITY DEPOSIT)

UNRESERVED (UR/EWS CANDIDATES)

RESERVED (ST/SC/OBC/PwD)

UNRESERVED (UR/EWS CANDIDATES)

RESERVED (ST/SC/OBC/PwD, APPLICABLE-JAIN/MUSLIMS)

1

AIQ

Rs 1000/-

Rs 500/-

Rs 25000/-

Rs 10000/-

2

Deemed Universities

Rs 5000/-

Rs 5000/-

Rs 2,00,000/

Rs 2,00,000-

Q8 What are the circumstances under wherein the refundable security deposit will be forfeited?

A Under the following circumstances, the refundable security deposit will be forfeited by MCC-

1 Where a Candidate has been allotted a seat in Round 2 or subsequent rounds and does not report at the allotted college to complete the admission process.

2 The Security Deposit will be forfeited if the admission gets cancelled after allotment for any reason. E.g., in case the candidate gives wrong information at the time of registration, based on which a seat may be allotted and later cancelled by the Admission Authorities at the time of reporting or fails to produce the required documents at the time of admission.

Q9 In case the candidate must apply for both AIQ and for Deemed University, should the candidate pay the fee for both?

A No, in such a case, the candidate has to pay only the higher fee, i.e. of Deemed University Rs 5000/- and 2 Lakh Refundable Security Deposit.

Q10 What are the instructions regarding OBC, SC, ST, PwD & EWS certificates?

A Candidates are advised to see Annexure(s) in this Information Bulletin. In case the candidate fails to produce proper Caste, PwD, EWS Certificate, if applicable, at the allotted Medical/Dental College, then he/she will not be permitted to join and the seat will be cancelled by the allotted Medical / Dental College.

Further, the reservation of seats under PwD Category is 5% in AIQ and the 21 Benchmark Disabilities as envisaged under the regulations of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 and as per NMC norms, have been included presently, where only the lower motor disabilities were included earlier.

Q11 Is there any restriction on filling up a number of choices of Institutions (Colleges) or subjects in the choice filling form?

A No, you can give as many choices as you wish. However, choices should be in order of preference, as the allotment is done on the basis of choices submitted by the qualified candidate in order of preference given by the candidate and as per availability.

However, it is advisable that the participating candidates fill in the choices up to a total of 30-40 choices.

Q12 Can I have some idea about the seat I am likely to get at my rank?

A Yes, the previous year's allotment results are available on the MCC website. This will only be indicative (without any guarantee for the current year).

Q13 Is it necessary to fill up the choices and lock the choices to get a seat allotted? Or will I be allotted a seat automatically from the available seats?

A After online registration (registration is compulsory to take part in the online allotment process), you have to fill in the choice of subjects and Institutions/colleges in order of preference. Once choices are filled in, it can be modified before locking it. During the choice locking period, it is necessary to lock the choices to get a printout of your submitted choices. If a candidate does not lock the choice submitted by him/her, they will be automatically locked on the notified date at the notified time; however, you will be allowed to take a print of your choices after locking, but you will not be permitted to modify your choices after locking.

Q14 Is it necessary to join the allotted Medical / Dental College in Round-1 to get a chance to participate in the next round (2nd Round)?

A If a candidate does not report at the allotted institute in Round-1, this will be considered as ‘Free Exit’ (option available only in Round-1). However, candidates who have not joined (the Round-1 allotted seat) by availing the free exit option may participate again in Round-2 after logging in with their earlier Registration details.

In case a candidate wants to ensure /retain his/her Round-1 seat and wants to upgrade his/her allotted seat, he/she should join the Round-1 seat and give their willingness for Up-gradation at the allotted college. However, if a candidate wants to participate directly in Round-2 without retaining the Round-1 seat, he/she may not join the college and do choice filling for Round-2 since Round-1 hasa free exit option. In the above-mentioned case, he/she cannot claim the Round 1 seat.

Q15 Do I have to fill in the choices of subject and College to participate in the second Round of allotment process separately?

A Yes, for the Round-2 and Mop Up round of Deemed/ Central Universities, candidates are required to submit fresh choices. During the second round of the online allotment process, the choice of higher preference will be considered for up-gradation for those candidates who give the option to upgrade their choice at the time of admission at the allotted Medical/Dental College. During Round-2, fresh allotment will be considered for those eligible candidates who could not be allotted a seat due to non-availability of a seat in Round-1 (subject to availability of seat) and for candidates who have logged in again in Round-2 after Free Exit from Round-1- 1.

Q16 If sufficient number of qualified PwD candidates are not available then, what will happen to those un-allotted PG seats, reserved for PwD candidates?

A The un-allotted PG seats earmarked for UR-PwD, SC-PwD, ST-PwD and OBC- PwD will be reverted/converted to respective categories like SC-PwD to SC and so on Mop Up round of allotment process after processing choices to PwD category candidates in Mop Up Round.

Q17 If I give consent for up-gradation of my choice during Round-1 and if my choice is upgraded, is it necessary to join at college allotted during second round? Or in case I change my decision of upgrading choice, can I continue to study in college allotted through first round of allotment?

A In case candidate is allotted seat during the Round-1 of allotment process and his choice is upgraded in Round-2, the seat allotted during the first round will be automatically cancelled immediately (and allotted to somebody else eligible as per merit) and candidate will have to join the college / seat allotted during second round. If candidate does not join the college/seat allotted during the second round, with in stipulated time, as per schedule, his/her Refundable Security Deposit will be forfeited. However, after joining the allotted institute in Round-2 the candidate can opt for up gradation in 3rd round.

Seat can also be up-graded in the same college by change of category (i.e. ST / SC / OBC to UR or PwD to non-PwD seat) in such a case the candidate has to take fresh admission on the up-graded seat.

Q18 If I give option to participate in ROUND-2 at the time of joining college from first round allotment, but later change my decision and want to continue study at already allotted Medical / Dental College of Round-1, what is the procedure to avoid change (cancellation) of already allotted college/seat?

A In such a case candidate need not fill any fresh choices for Round-2 and the earlier seat will be retained.

Q19 If I have given my willingness as ‘YES” and I do not wish to participate in further round and want to retain my current allotted seat, what is the procedure for that?

A If a candidate has given his/her willingness as “YES” and wants to retain his/her current seat, the candidate need not fill the choices in next round. Hence, the original/current seat will be retained by the candidate.

Q20 If I forget my password that I have created during the process of registration, how to retrieve it?

A To retrieve the forgotten password, system facilitates the candidate is required to enter the information that he/she filled at the time of registration and then the security question & answer thereon to be entered as given during New Candidate registration process. The above data submitted by candidate will be validated with the registered candidates’ database. If the above entries match, then only the candidate would be permitted to enter new password to proceed further.

Q21 I have not registered with the MCC during first, second and third round, now I want to register in the Stray Vacancy round during the ongoing counselling schedule, can I do fresh registration?

A Yes, fresh registration can be done during stray vacancy round with payment of fees.

Q22 How much money will be deducted as Transaction fee/Service fee by the College in case of Up-gradation in t h e next round or after Resignation?

A Candidates are advised to contact college authorities regarding Transaction fee/Service fees or other related fees before joining the college as MCC would not be responsible for any Refund related issues with the college.

Q23 What are the helpline numbers for PG Counselling & Finance related queries?

A The following are numbers for PG Counselling & Finance related queries: 1800 1027637, 0120- 4073500.

Q24 Whether NRI category candidates are eligible for Paid Deemed University Seats as well?

A Yes, the NRI category candidates are eligible for seats as well. The seats will be allotted to candidates in order of merit, preference or choices filled by the candidate as per merit only.

Q25 Whether NRI category candidates are eligible for Paid Deemed University Seats as well?

A Yes, the NRI category candidates are eligible for seats as well. The seats will be allotted to candidates in order of merit, preference or choices filled by the candidate as per merit only.

Q26 Who are eligible for “Exit with Forfeiture” option?

A Candidate who has been allotted a seat in Round-2 and Round-3 and for Stray Vacancy Round but do not report at the college may Exit with Forfeiture. (i.e. The Security Deposit will not be refunded in such a case).

Q27 Who is Eligible for Stray Vacancy Round?

A All registered candidates who were not allotted any seat in any of the previous rounds except the candidates who have been allotted and joined a seat in Round-3 of counselling are eligible for stray vacancy round. However, Candidates are advised to check their eligibility conditions before applying.

Q28 Whether there will be two separate counseling for All India Quota and 50%Institutional Quota on separate days and separate platform

A There is common counseling software for AIQ and Institutional Quota. Hence, t he candidates of 50% Institutional Quota who are eligible for counseling should optfor the choices in order of preference between AIQ, 50% Institutional Quota. The computer will allot the seat in order of merit and choice from the choices filled by the candidate.

Q29 Whether the Security Deposit which was submitted at the time of Registration will be refunded back in case the candidate is not allotted any seat during the rounds of online counseling conducted by MCC?

A Yes, in case the candidate is not allotted any seat in such case the Security Deposit will be refunded back to the same account of the candidate from which payment had been made.

Q30 Whether Up-gradation is allowed from 2 nd round counseling of Deemed/ Central Universities/DNB to third round Round counseling of DGHS for Central/Deemed Universities/DNB?

A Yes, Up-gradation is allowed. (refer to process of counselling)

Q31 Is it required to confirm domicile status before filling up choices?

A Candidates are advised to confirm their institutional eligibility before registering on MCC website for 50% Institutional Quota seats of Central Universities/Institutes before opting for their seats.

Q32 Whether counseling will be conducted for 50% State Quota seats of Central Universities also, and for which universities?

A Yes, counseling for 50% State quota seats as per the University eligibility conditions will be conducted by MCC of DGHS, MoHFW for DU, AMU, BHU, VMMC & SJH, ABVIMS & RML Hospital and Institutional Preference will be given to the candidates in 50% Institutional Quota. It is to be noted that Rules & Regulations of Central Universities will apply. MCC of DGHS is only responsible for allotment of seats.

Q33 What is the permissibility to students to exercise fresh choice during counseling?

A Fresh choice filling can be done in every round of counseling.

Q34 What is the schedule for Counseling and Admission to PG Courses?

A As per the schedule uploaded on the Website.

Q35 Who will not be eligible for third Round of Counseling?

A Candidates who have joined seat in Round-1 or Round-2 and State Quota seat (as per the data shared by the States) and not willing to upgrade will not be eligible or do no exit as per scheme.

Q36 Who will be eligible for third Round?

A The Following categories of candidates are eligible for Mop Up Round a) Candidates who are registering for the first time. b) Candidates who have registered but not been allotted a seat in Round1 & Round 2. Candidates who exit with forfeiture in round 2 can participate in round-3 but with fresh payment of fees.

Q37 What is the procedure for Round-3 Counseling which will be conducted by DGHS?

A The net vacant seats due to Non-Allotted, Non-Joining, Non-Reporting of Round-2 will be published in the seat matrix and eligible candidates have to submit fresh choices and the result will be processed as per Choice & Merit for third Round.

Q38 Will there be any further round after completion of Round two of All India QuotaCounseling?

A Yes. As per the modified scheme of AIQ in SLA(C) No. 10487 of 2021 before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, it has been directed by the Hon’ble Court for conduction of 04 rounds of counselling. Hence, 3rd round i.e. Round-3 round and fourth round i.e. stray vacancy round (AIQ/Central Institutes/University/DNB) will be conducted in AIQ by MCC.

Q39 At the time of admission will my original certificates be retained bythe allotted college/institution?

A Yes, all the participating colleges/institutions have been instructed to retain original certificates of admitted students in order to not block seats and prevention of multiple admissions by one candidate and release them only on up-gradation of the seat or resignation by the candidate (during the specified timelines).

Q40 If I get an up-graded seat during second round of AIQ/ Deemed/Central University/DNB from Round-1, can I join that college directly?

A No, you will have to get a relieving letter from the earlier institute/college (of ROUND1) generated on- line, before you can join the next college/institution.

Q41 How can I get print out of my choices which system has locked?

A After the specified time of last date/date of choice locking (or after choice locking) print out can be taken from MCC website after login by the Candidate, link is available on the page as “Print Lock Choice”.

Q42 I have not locked my choices before the time specified in counseling schedule on last date of choice locking, what will happen to my choices?

A The choices submitted and saved by you will be locked by the system at the time of last date/date of choice locking as mentioned in Counseling Schedule, automatically. Once locked, the choices cannot be altered/modified/changed.

Q43 Can I modify my choices during the choice submission period for counseling?

A Yes, you can modify, add or delete your choices during this period, before you lock your choices. However, the registration (of New Users) is permitted up to the specified date and time specified in counselling Schedule, only.

SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE FOR ONLINE COUNSELING (ALLOTMENT PROCESS) FOR NEET 50% AIQ AND 100% DEEMED/CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES/AFMS-ONLY REGISTRATION FOR MDS COURSES FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR – 2025

S.NO

VERIFICATION OF TENTATIVE SEAT MATRIX BY THE PARTICIPATING INSTITUTES

REGISTRATION/PAYMENT

CHOICE FILLING/LOCKING

PROCESSING OF SEAT ALLOTMENT

RESULT

REPORTING

VERIFICATION OF JOINED CANDIDATE'S DATA BY INSTITUTES SHARING OF DATA BY MCC

ROUND 1

1

23rd June, 2025

24th June to 30th June, 2025 up to 12:00 Noon of 30th June, 2025 only (as per Server Time)

*Payment facility will be available up to 03:00 PM of 30th June, 2025 (as per Server Time)

25th June, 2025 to 30th June, 2025 (Choice Filling will be available upto 11:55 P.M. of 30th June, 2025 (as per Server Time)

Choice Locking will start from 04:00 P.M. of 30th June, 2025, upto 11:55 P.M. of 30th June, 2025 (as per Server Time)

1st July, 2025 to 2nd July, 2025

3rd July, 2025

4th July, 2025 to 8th July, 2025

9th July, 2025 to 11th July, 2025

DAYS

(1-Day)

(7-Days)

(6-Days)

(2-Days)

(1-Day)

(5-Days)

(03-Days)

ALL INDIA QUOTA, DEEMED, CENTRAL STATE QUOTA

S.NO

SCHEDULE FOR ADMISSION

ALL INDIA QUOTA/DEEMED & CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES

SHARING OF JOINED CANDIDATE'S DATA BY MCC

STATE COUNSELLING

SHARING OF JOINED CANDIDATE'S DATA BY STATES

1

Ist Round of Counselling.

24th June, 2025 to 3rd July, 2025

9th July to 11th July, 2025

1st July, 2025 to 8th July, 2025

14th July, 2025

2

Last date of Joining.

8th July, 2025

_

13th July, 2025

_

Santo Domingo— As international alerts emerge regarding a new variant of COVID-19, the Dominican Republic is experiencing a surge in virus circulation, with 247 new confirmed cases recorded over the past three weeks, including 84 instances detected between June 8 and 14.

As of this year, official records indicate a cumulative total of 681 confirmed cases of COVID-19. In the last week of records, the positivity rate for laboratory samples reached 10%.

In the bulletin for epidemiological week 24, released yesterday, the Ministry of Public Health details that of the 84 confirmed cases of COVID-19 during the last week, the National District accounted for 28 cases, Santiago for 19, and Santo Domingo for 8 cases.

The provinces with the highest Cumulative Incidence (CI) were Duarte, with 175.97, and the National District, with 172.07 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The recommendations

The Ministry of Public Health urges the population to get vaccinated against influenza and COVID-19, especially those in at-risk groups. It also recommends wearing a mask indoors, washing hands frequently, and ensuring good ventilation.

It indicates that if the patient experiences a persistent fever or difficulty breathing, they should seek medical advice immediately. Obtain information only from official sources and refrain from spreading unverified information.

Nimbus

Press reports indicate that this week, European health authorities are warning of a potential surge in COVID-19 infections in the coming months due to the emergence of new, rapidly spreading variants of the virus.

Among them is a new Omicron variant, NB.1.8.1, called Nimbus, which is considered more contagious but less deadly. It is a sublineage of the dominant Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.

Among the symptoms it presents are fever, fatigue, muscle pain, cough, nasal congestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and occasionally, a characteristic lacerating pain in the throat.

This month, the World Health Organization (WHO) also reported that it is monitoring a new variant of the coronavirus, designated as B. 1.8.1, but stated that although this strain has led to an increase in COVID-19 infections in various regions, the overall risk to the population is considered low.

Severe respiratory

Likewise, the country has recorded some 734 suspected cases and 28 deaths from Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) so far this year, 40 of which were detected in the last week, as part of the sentinel surveillance carried out by the Epidemiology Directorate of the Ministry of Public Health.

Last year to date, sentinel surveillance had detected 815 suspected cases and five deaths from Severe Acute Respiratory Illness or Syndrome, which is defined as a severe form of pneumonia, the infection of which causes severe discomfort or difficulty breathing and can sometimes lead to death.

According to experts, Acute Respiratory Syndrome (ARS) is a respiratory infection that begins suddenly. It is characterized by a high fever of 38 degrees Celsius or higher, cough, and shortness of breath, often requiring mechanical ventilation.

Respiratory viruses

Meanwhile, among the circulating respiratory viruses detected during the week of June 8-14, influenza was the most prevalent, with nearly 13% of the samples analyzed at the Dr. Defilló National Laboratory testing positive last week.

According to the epidemiological report for week 24, released this Thursday by the Ministry of Public Health, during the week of June 8 to 14, 70 respiratory samples were processed confirming the circulation of different viruses, including Influenza A ( H1N1 ) pdm09, Influenza A ( H3N2 ), Influenza B (Victoria lineage), SARS-CoV-2 and Parainfluenza virus.

It indicates that the positivity rate for influenza was 12.9%, while for SARS-CoV-2, or the COVID-19 virus, it was 2.9%. The positivity rate for other respiratory viruses was 4.3%.

Malaria and dengue

In the last week of the report, four cases of malaria were reported, three of which occurred in the provinces of San Juan and Azua, both endemic areas that have maintained active outbreaks of the disease.

So far this year, 435 cases of malaria have been confirmed, of which 50% (217) were concentrated in the Azua focus, followed by San Juan with 41% (177) and Elías Piña, which registered 6% (26) of the cases.

Regarding nationality, 71% (310) of those affected are of Dominican origin, while 29% (125) are Haitian citizens; the most affected group is women between 20 and 29 years old.

Regarding dengue, the report indicates that 128 cases have been confirmed in the Dominican Republic up to week 24, representing an 86% reduction compared to last year. Espaillat province accounted for the largest share, at 10.9%, followed by La Vega with 9.4% and Puerto Plata with 7.8%.

Maternal deaths

The epidemiological report also highlights that no maternal deaths were reported in the country last week, which is attributed to the increased care provided to pregnant women in health centers.

As of week 24, 79 maternal deaths have been reported in the Dominican Republic, representing a decrease of 8 cases compared to the same period last year, when 87 were reported.

The Ministry of Health recommends that pregnant women attend their prenatal checkups on time, maintain a balanced diet, avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other harmful substances, rest, avoid stress, and take the vitamins and supplements prescribed by medical personnel.

Maternal deaths

Of infant deaths in that last epidemiological week, 23 deaths were reported, for a cumulative total of 771 deaths so far this year, which, compared to the 2024 period, shows a reduction of 242 deaths.

Drug Use and Trafficking

This week’s epidemiological bulletin focuses on the commemoration of the ” International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking ” on June 26. In this regard, the Ministry of Health urged strengthening joint actions to prevent drug use, control trafficking, and protect the health and safety of the population.

He emphasized that strategies to prevent and combat drug abuse and trafficking have been strengthened in the Dominican Republic through a series of coordinated actions among various institutions.

As part of these initiatives, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education have developed prevention and education programs in schools and communities, promoting awareness campaigns and training health promoters.

In the area of ​​treatment and rehabilitation, specialized centers have been implemented to provide comprehensive care to people with addiction, prioritizing not only medical treatment but also social reintegration.

The costs

The report highlights that drug abuse in the Dominican Republic has a significant impact on the rise of communicable and non-communicable diseases associated with drug use, such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, mental disorders, and overdoses.

It also leads to an overload of public health services for treatment and rehabilitation; an increase in violence related to drug trafficking and organized crime; and a loss of productivity and increased social costs for the State.

It indicates that a 2022 study by the Ministry of Public Health estimated that spending on drug user care exceeds US$5 million annually.