Bhubaneswar: Contractual staff nurses, appointed under the National Health Mission (NHM), who were on a cease-work protest for the last ten days agreed to call off their strike today after the Odisha government assured them to fulfil their demands.

Sources said the staff nurses, who had been demanding regularization of their jobs including grade pay hike, will re-join their duty from tomorrow.

According to reports, the NHM nurses decided to call off their stir till March next year after the State government assured to fulfill their five of seven-charter of demands.

Speaking to the media about the development, All Odisha Contractual Nurses' Association President Gangadhar Panigrahi said they have called off their strike after having a discussion with the government officials who assured to fulfil most of their demands.

"Giving respect to the government officials and believing their words we have called off the strike but if they fail to fulfill the agitation will be intensified in future," Panigrahi added.

Earlier Health Minister Pratap Jena too had a discussion with the office bearers of the association but that went unsuccessful which later intensified the agitation.

The Minister had said that the decision to regularise the NHM nurses requires permission from general administration and finance department.

The 10-day long strike by the nurses has severely affected the healthcare services in government-run hospitals in the state.

Notably, the NHM staff nurses alleged that they get remuneration of Rs 10,700 a month while regular government staff nurses get between Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 including dearness, house rent and uniform allowances depending on their seniority.