Ten doctors of the Covid task force, treating patients at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) since March, have expressed their desire to be relieved of their responsibilities, saying they cannot continue any more in the face of mounting stress due to the 24-x7 work schedule, lack of sleep and constant criticism.

In a letter addressed to RIMS' acting director Dr Manju Gari on Monday, the coordinator of the task force, Dr Prabhat Kumar, has requested her to allow the members of Covid task force to leave.

“We tried our best to manage all aspects in the management of Covid patients. It gave a lot of mental and physical stress and strain to us,” the letter, a copy of which is with The Telegraph Online, read.

The 10-member task force has been treating all Covid patients at RIMS for four months without a break. Soon after test reports arrive every night, its members have to do everything from arranging beds to planning treatment and stay up day-and-night to address exigencies.

“The count of Covid patients is increasing every day, and we do not have enough beds. Managing so many patients with limited resources, and also facing criticism for our work is taking a toll on our mental health,” a senior member of the task force said, requesting anonymity.

Another member of the task force said they were not being appreciated for their efforts despite the risks they were taking by treating Covid patients. “The task force is blamed for every lapse, but never appreciated for the good work,” she said.

The Covid-19 task force at RIMS was constituted to manage the Covid ward of the premiere state-run hospital in March. The idea behind constituting this team was to have a group of expert doctors who could not only treat patients but also ensure safety standards in Covid wards. The ward has around 100 beds.

“We have written a letter to the director seeking relief from this job. We are under a lot of stress,” said Dr Kumar, who has been heading the task force from day One.

Covid cases across Jharkhand, and Ranchi in particular, have been on the rise since June. As per government data, there were at least 1,624 active cases in Ranchi as of Monday evening. Besides treating Covid patients in Ranchi, RIMS has also been treating patients from other districts in Jharkhand.

The total number of Covid cases in Jharkhand was over 12,800 as of Monday.