To augment plasma bank, state all set to encourage donation from Covid survivors

Kolkata: With an aim to give further impetus to plasma therapy of COVID-19 affected persons in the state, the Health department will ask various private hospitals which are treating Covid patients to conduct counselling among the recovered patients and their family members and encourage them to donate blood.

The decision has been taken after the department found that a little number of recovered patients has come forward so far to donate blood for plasma therapy. If the number can be raised it can prove to be handy for the health officials to cure the COVID patients whose health condition is serious. Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) has already started an awareness programme among the recovered patients for the augmentation of plasma therapy. The health department will urge all the private hospitals involved in COVID treatment to undertake a comprehensive campaign to aware recovered patients about the importance of donating blood. The number of plasma therapy would go up if more patients donate blood. The Institute of Immuno-Hemeotology department of the CMCH has been collecting plasma from the recovered patients while the Beliaghata ID Hospital is performing the plasma therapy on the affected patients. It is however in clinical trial stage.

Convalescent plasma therapy is a method in which plasma retrieved from COVID -19 cured patients is transfused in other affected patients so that their immunity system

against the virus gets strengthened.

The main purpose of the initiative is to assess if the plasma retrieved from the cured COVID patients can boost the immunity system of other COVID patients whose condition is serious. According to sources at the CMCH, nearly 20 patients have donated blood so far for plasma therapy after being recovered. State health department sets a target of carrying out 50-60 plasma therapy in a month.

To meet expectations, the health department needs more donors. As per the health bulletin on Monday, around 19,213 patients have already recovered in the state.

It may be mentioned here that the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee a few days ago announced a plasma bank which would be set up at the Institute of Immuno-Hemeotology at CMCH.

The health department and the medical college authorities have to make necessary arrangements so that more people come forward to donate blood. A steady supply of plasma is one of the key things to smoothly run the blood bank, feel the experts.