Bhubaneswar/Sambalpur, Jan. 20: The striking junior doctors of Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (Vimsar), Burla, met health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak today.

"We will decide our future course of action at the general body meeting tomorrow," said president of the junior doctors' association Shankar Ramchandani.

About 450 junior doctors and house surgeons have been on strike since January 12 to press for their 11-point charter of demands. A 10-member delegation of the doctors met Nayak this evening and discussed their demands.

Nayak said: "We have forwarded a proposal regarding their demands to the finance department. It will then go to the law ministry. We hope to come out with a positive outcome by February 28. The doctors have assured us that they will not affect health services."

Ramchandani, however, said that only five of the 11 points could be discussed.

The protesting doctors are demanding installation of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine, delegation of financial and administrative powers to Vimsar, shifting of female medicine ward to a new building, strengthening of security on the medical college premises, round-the-clock water and electricity supply at the operation theatre, a labour room, a sick newborn care unit, an intensive care unit (ICU), a new medicine ward, a canteen, hostels, an increase in library fund, recruitment of staff for the library, filling up of vacant teaching and non-teaching posts and improvement in the sanitary condition of the institute.

Health services continued to be affected at Vimsar for the ninth day today because of the agitation by the doctors.

Patients, who are undergoing treatment at Vimsar, have remained the worst-hit lot by the strike. Patients in the locality who require hospitalisation have also started to avoid Vimsar for the ongoing imbroglio.

"My doctor has advised me immediate hospitalisation. However, my family members chose not to admit me to Vimsar because of the ongoing agitation," said Ashis Panda, who is suffering from stomach ailment.

Sources said that the doctors were also reluctant to admit critically-ill patients in the wards. "My father has been admitted in the central ICU of the hospital. But we do not even know when the doctors come and visit him. We don't know whom to ask about his condition," said Shantilata Sahu.

Hospital superintendent L.K. Dash admitted that the agitation had affected health service. "Vimsar had already been reeling from staff shortage. The ongoing protest has only aggravated the problem," he said.