In view of the increasing need for Convalescent Plasma Therapy, the government of West Bengal has decided to set up Convalescent Covid19 Plasma (CCP) banks in 20 state-run Blood Components Separation Units (BCSU) by using the whole blood of people who have recovered from Covid-19 after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) allowed such plasma to be used 'off label' in moderately ill Covid patients.
The state has reported 23,748 cases of infections with 503 deaths till Sunday according to data released by the ministry of health.
Yet misgivings about the number of people who will readily agree to donate plasma post-recovery are not wholly unfounded.
'Our team is calling up people requesting them to donate plasma, if you receive such a call please don't refuse.'
The ‘Plasma Bank’ has been set up at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, Delhi.
Plasma therapy was among the five weapons Kejriwal had recently mentioned to fight the deadly infection, while asserting that the treatment turned out to be a life-saver for people in the capital.
The killer virus has also spread its network among policemen one after other also.
In a press briefing, Ministry of Health, Joint Secretary, Lav Aggarwal said that plasma therapy is being experimented and a national-level study has been launched by the ICMR to study the efficacy of the treatment.
According to reports, a team of doctors from King George Medical (KGMU), Lucknow, will test Kanika's blood to check if she can donate her plasma.
Briefing the media on the treatment, Kejriwal said four COVID-19 patients at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital were given plasma therapy and the results have been encouraging.
