AIIMS administration rejects RDA proposal to make donation to PM-CARES voluntary

The AIIMS administration has rejected the proposal by its Resident Doctors' Association to make donations to the PM-CARES fund voluntary or opt-in, saying there is no mechanism in place for an opt-in donation in the institute. In response to the RDA's demand, the administration on Wednesday said there is no mechanism currently for an opt-in donation and all such voluntary donations are to be made directly to the charity of choice.

The letter also stated that there is no provision to collect donations from residents for internal use for provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other facilities to equip healthcare workers. The AIIMS RDA had written to the hospital administration, demanding that donations to the PM-Citizen Assistance Relief in Emergency Situations (CARES) fund be made a voluntary exercise/opt-in and the money collected be used locally for procuring protective gear for them after the administration appealed to all resident doctors to contribute their one-day salary to the PM-CARES fund to aid the government's effort to fight COVID-19.

"In continuation of the appeal dated April 4, the RDA through letter have stated that the collection of donation be made voluntary (opt-in) and use of funds be done locally for provision of PPE and other facilities to equip the healthcare workers. "In this regard, it may be noted that there is no mechanism currently for an opt-in donation and all such voluntary donations are to be made directly to the charity of choice. There is no provision to collect donations from residents for internal use for provision of PPE and other facilities to equip the healthcare workers," the AIIMS registrar said.

He further clarified that the current requirement is of procurement of PPE rather than collection of funds from residents for this purpose stating adequate funds are available. "The RDA is therefore advised to clarify whether they wish to contribute for the above noble cause or not. There will be no provision for an opt-in contribution," the notice, which was sent to head of departments, chiefs of centres and RDA president, stated.

Reacting to it, the AIIMS RDA shot off a letter on Wednesday evening to the registrar for reconsidering the decision and make the donation opt-in or reject it altogether stating majority of residents have donated on a personal level and want to exercise choice of further donation. "The RDA AIIMS reiterates that as majority of residents have donated on a personal level and want to exercise choice of further donation. We again request the administration to reconsider the decision and make the donation opt-in or reject it altogether.

"A major pandemic or even a national emergency can't be the reason to curb the rights of people more particularly healthcare staff. The RDA AIIMS has made its stand very clear even in the past during the emergency in our country and will continue to stand for the values it represents," the letter signed by RDA President Adarsh Pratap Singh and General Secretary Dr Srinivas Rajkumar T, stated. The AIIMS RDA had on April 4 said the notice for donation without consulting them violates an individual's right to support the country in the way they prefer.

In its notice, the administration had said that any resident having objection to it (donation) 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 dearness allowance towards the contribution to PM-CARES fund," the administration's notice said.