After AIIMS, doctors at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Delhi, and Lady Hardinge Medical College have rejected a mandatory donation of one-day salary to PM CARES Fund. As per information, more than 6,000 doctors from these top hospitals of Delhi have unanimously refused to donate one day salary to the fund set up to provide relief to those affected due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, the AIIMS RDA had also written to the hospital administration, demanding that donations to PM-CARES Fund be made a voluntary exercise/opt-in and the money collected to be used locally for procuring protective gear for them. However, the AIIMS administration rejected the Resident Doctors' Association's proposal, saying there is no mechanism in place for an opt-in donation in the institute.

Reacting to it, AIIMS RDA General Secretary Dr Srinivas Rajkumar T said, "Regarding contribution to the PM-CARES fund, the administration is saying no to the provision of opt-in. Also, that fund will not be used for PPE from this institute. RDA AIIMS is left with option either to reject it completely or choose individual opt-out."

Also read: Coronavirus India Lockdown live updates: Country's active COVID-19 cases cross 7,000 mark; death toll at 273

The AIIMS RDA on April 4 said the notice for donation without consulting them violated an individual's right to support the country in the way they prefer. The setting up of the PM CARES Fund for providing relief to those affected by COVID-19 has invited another controversy after people questioned the need for a new fund when the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) is already in existence.

The PM CARES, or the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund, has been set up as a public charitable trust. The Prime Minister is the chairman of this trust and its members include Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister.

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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to announce a lockdown extension soon as the COVID-19 cases are increasing every day. According to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of active novel coronavirus cases stand at 7,367, while the death toll is at 273 as on April 12, 8am.

Edited by Manoj Sharma