About 20 blood banks marked for plasma collection

kolkata: The Bengal government has identified around 20 blood banks in the state for donation of plasma for treating COVID-19 patients.

The decision was taken after it was found that critical patients suffering from COVID-19 can be treated with the help of blood plasma.

In Kolkata, seven hospitals have been designated for plasma donation, including ESI Hospital Manicktala, NRS Medical College and Hospital, Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, SSKM Hospital Blood Bank and Institute of Blood Transfusion, Medical and Immune Hematology, among others.

In districts like West Midnapore, Purulia, Bankura , Murshidabad, Malda, Dakshin Dinajpur, Darjeeling all medical colleges have been designated for the same.

Senior doctors opined that there had been a huge demand for plasma treatment after it was seen that plasma of COVID-19 patients helped in treating COVID patients and thus rate of infection could be reduced.

A senior doctor of a state-run medical college said: "It was often seen that medical colleges lack blood supply for treating COVID-19 patients especially amid huge rush of patients requiring blood for other treatments as well."

"After the state government designated a few hospitals, it has become easier to get plasma for the treatment of COVID-19 patients," the senior doctor further added.

According to senior doctors, around 10,000 critical patients have received benefits under the plasma therapy.

Sources said there are plans to undertake more research to study the benefits of plasma therapy in treating other critical diseases.