INDIA'S FIRST PLASMA TO BEAT COVID-19

Arvind Kejriwal

        NEW DELHI: Convalescent plasma therapy has been recommended to aid moderately severe Covid -19 patients get back on their feet quickly, helped by the antibodies in the plasma which is very helpful for cocid-19 patients. This plasma bank is collect by the patients who have recovered from the infection. To get the blood component in meaningful quantities, Delhi government inaugurated a plasma Bank at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in South Delhi  on Thursday.

            After inaugurating the facility, chief minister Arvind kejriwal interected with  a few plasma donors. In the CV therapy, the blood plasma retrieved from recovered Covid patients with antibodies to fight the infection are infused in a corona patients, increasing chances of recovery by almost 35%.

PLASMA 

           While making the announcement of setting up the bank earlier this week, kejriwal had emphasised that plasma therapy was "not the ultimate cure" for Covid and lives couldn't all be saved by it." It is extremely difficult to save the patients who is suffering from multi-organ failures  and extreme comorbidities. But  CV therapy is helpful for patients whose condition is not too serious yet," the CM had said.

           On Thursday, at a digital press conference, kejriwal invited those who had fully recovered from the coronavirus infection to donate plasma to save lives. Those fulfilling the eligibility criteria and willing to be a eligibility criteria and willing to be a donor can call the 1031 helpline number 8800007722. After the registration, a Delhi government doctor will contact the potential donor for verification and further progress. Urging potential donors to come forward, forward 

kejriwal said,"people were finding it difficult to get plasma. we hope that the situation will improve

with the plasma therapy bank becoming operational." He said the initiative would only be successful 

if more recovered covid patients came forward to donate plasma. 

Corona Virus 

WHO CAN ABLE TO DONATE PLASMA

Under the guidelines, patients who have beaten Covid-19 and don't exhibit symptoms for 14 days, weighing over 50kg and aged 18-60 years can donate blood plasma. pregnant womens, diabetics, those with blood pressure higher than 140 and less than 60 or over 90, cancer survivors or peoplewith chronic kidney,heart,lung and liver diseases cannot be donors.

Kejriwal said more than 58,000 people had so far recovered from Covid in Delhi, but the stringent criteria made very few people suitable as plasma donors."you get very few opportunities to save someone's life. If God has given you this chance, please do not hesitate to use it, because through this plasma all patients are able to fight with corona virus and this formula will be very helpful for patients and doctors. because recovery rates of corona patients will be so high and it will be very beneficial for some low ummunity patients. 

The Delhi CM urged to talking with reporters, kejriwal who was accompanied by deputy CM Manish sisodia at the inauguration, also said that Delhi government would send a vehical to pick and drop donors and those coming to the bank on their won would be reimbursed the travel cost.

 

He also requested to all Delhi patients requiring plasma not to contact ILBS directly. If the patient required the therapy, the treating doctor or hospital  would contact the plasma bank. Till the time a vaccine was finalised, CV therapy would contact the plasma bank.