Make donation to PM fund voluntary, use money for buying protective gear: AIIMS RDA to admin

The AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association has written to the hospital administration, demanding that donations to PM-CARES fund be made a voluntary exercise and the money collected be used locally for procuring protective gear for them.

The AIIMS administration has appealed to all resident doctors to contribute their one-day salary to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) fund to aid the government's effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

While appreciating the AIIMS administration for stepping up to the challenge of handling the pandemic, the AIIMS RDA said the notice for donation without consulting them violates an individual's right to support the country in the way they prefer.

"Considering the shortage of PPEs and other facilities for travel and sanitation inside the campus itself, AIIMS RDA after feedback from residents requests you to make this exercise voluntary (opt in only) and use the funds locally for the provision of PPEs and other facilities to equip the healthcare workers better handle the pandemic and support the country in the crisis. Kindly withdraw this notice with immediate effect," they said in their letter.

In its notice, the administration has also said that any resident having objection to it may write through email, WhatsApp or SMS to their account officers latest by April 6.

If no objection is received by April 6, the deduction of amount equal to one-day salary will be made from the arrears to be accrued on account of the enhancement of DA towards the contribution to PM CARES fund, the administration's notice said.