The Madhya Pradesh government plans to setup recreation centres at medical colleges for junior doctors who work for long hours without breaks, state Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang said on Thursday. Around Rs 2 crore to Rs 2.5 crore will be invested in setting up a centre

These recreation centres will have indoor games, home theatre, library, gymnasium and cafeterias, he said. “I have asked an architect to come up with the design for recreation centres,” Sarang told PTI.

Around Rs 2 crore to Rs 2.5 crore will be invested in setting up a centre, he said, adding that there were 13 government medical colleges in the state. The junior doctors are delighted with the state government's move. “We wholeheartedly welcome the government's bid to open recreation centres for junior doctors,” MP Junior Doctors Association (JUDA) patron and former president Dr Hareesh Pathak said.

These centres will help junior doctors overcome frustration and physical and mental exhaustion, he said, adding that the move will enhance the productivity of 3,500-odd junior doctors. Of the 13 medical colleges, six at Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Rewa and Sagar offer post-graduation courses, while the rest have graduation courses, another junior doctor said.

Junior doctors perform emergency duty, night duty, OPD, OT and ward duty. At times, they skip dinner and lunch while working and sometime they are on duty for more than 12 hours, he said.