Patna, Aug 10 (IANS): Nearly a dozen patients have died during a strike by Bihar's doctors, which was called-off on Friday after an assurance by the state government to fulfil their demands, officials said.

Junior doctors from the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) and Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) ended their strike after Bihar's Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar assured them late Thursday that their demands would be met.

"All the striking doctors have returned to work after the government's assurance," Health Secretary Sanjay Kumar said.

Junior doctors from NMCH went on a strike on Tuesday after they were assaulted by a patient's attendants. Doctors from PMCH and DMCH joined the strike on Thursday morning to show their support.

They are demanding a security cover to junior doctors during duty hours and protection and action against misbehaving attendants of patients.

The strike has left hundreds of patients, many of them in a serious condition, in the lurch.