(From left) Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Nitish Kumar, CP Thakur and PMCH alumnus Dr Shanti Singh at the institute’s 87th foundation day on Saturday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Feb. 25: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today asked doctors to be tolerant while dealing with patients and their kin, much to the chagrin of the medics who accused the government of being insensitive towards their security.

“When patients come to doctors, they and their immediate family members are submissive. Trouble begins when other relatives of the patients decide on their own that treatment is not up to the mark. The profession of a doctor is considered next to godliness. It will be nice if the doctors behave well,” Nitish said during the 87th Foundation Day cere-mony of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) today. “Being tolerant does not always mean that a person is weak,” he added.

The “tolerance” mantra, however, did not go down well with several doctors in the state capital. They pointed out that notification of Medical Protection Act, which was passed by the Assembly in the winter session last year, has not been issued yet.

PMCH principal N.P Yadav told The Telegraph that they were yet to receive a copy of the notification. “The copy of the notification has not come to us. We have just come to know from newspapers that the notification has been made,” Yadav said.

Even officials of the Bihar Health Service Association (BHSA) had to say the same thing. “The Medical Protection Act has been passed by the Assembly. But it has neither been notified nor any FIR has been lodged under it against those found indulging in vandalism and attacking doctors across the state. This is unfortunate and shows that the government is not serious in providing protection to the doctors,” BHSA general secretary Dr Ajay Kumar said.

Principal secretary (health) Amarjeet Sinha, however, refuted the allegations levelled by the doctors.

“The act has already been notified and their copies have been sent across. The department is planning an orientation meeting with the police in this connection. But the department will look into the allegations,” Sinha said.

On the other hand, the chief minister announced that PMCH, along with other health hubs, will be developed as centres of excellence. He was, however, not amused with the noise prevailing outside the hospital premises.

Nitish said”: “I was invited here even last year also and the programme was being held in an open area with billowing loudspeakers. It was troublesome for me. So much pollution is not permissible in front of a hospital. Once I had admitted my mother here and I could hear a loud noise of crackers. Earlier, Ashok Rajpath was a no horn zone. But things have changed and it pains me to see the state of affairs here. Thankfully, the programme is taking place in an auditorium.”

He added that the government has approved Rs 93 lakh for a guest house for PMCH. “A sum of Rs 13.5 crore has also been sanctioned for the construction of new hostels for students,” he added.