" If you are not participating in these committees, ask your District Magistrate. Please go and be in touch with the district hospital," Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan told members in the Lok Sabha.

All Members of Parliament are chairpersons of patient welfare committees at the district level in their own States, but most of them seem unaware of this fact. On Friday, the MPs from both the Treasury as well as the Opposition benches protested that such committees do not exist when Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan said they chair a ‘ rogi kalyan samiti’ (patient welfare committee) at every district hospital.

Replying to Tumkur MP SPM Gowda's question in the Lok Sabha on the steps initiated by the government to strengthen the district hospitals and to decentralise the healthcare system, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said since the MPs are the chairpersons of the district level committees, they could suggest to their respective State governments the facilities that need upgrade.

When the MPs reacted sharply to the statement, the Health Minister was forced to point out that they have not been “vigilant” enough.

“I am not objecting to your raising queries but you should have adequate information…I am saying that you have to be more vigilant. I am trying to inform all of you that there are two committees of which you are the Chairman,” he was heard speaking over the din.

While he listed the steps that are being taken to strengthen health care, which is a state subject, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said: “Apart from this, I have a request to all the Parliamentarians...there are two committees at the level of districts and these hospitals. One is at the district level and another at the district hospital level. There is the Rogi Kalyan Samiti and at the district level, there is a district-level committee.”

He urged the protesting MPs to seek the information about their roles in the committees from their respective District Magistrates. “ If you are not participating in these committees, ask your District Magistrate. Please go and be in touch with the district hospital, you will come to know about it..” he said.

The Health Minister also said that ever since the new Parliament was constituted, the Centre has written to the State Governments to ensure that these committees are constituted immediately. “…at the district level also, the Parliamentarian is the chairman of the committee. I seek your indulgence in making sure that in your respective districts which you are representing you can go and see how the programme, that is, the National Health Mission is being implemented. You can direct them. You can even give us your feedback,” he said.