India’s ‘first plasma bank’ for Covid patients been set up in Delhi

The AAP-led government in Delhi on Monday announced the plan to set up a ‘plasma bank’ in the national capital for treatment of coronavirus patients. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, while addressing a media briefing online said the plasma bank “will start operating in the next two days.”

He informed that the bank will be set up at the Delhi government-operated Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences. If a Covid-19 patient requires plasma for treatment, doctors and hospitals will need to approach the plasma bank, he added.

The chief minister also urged patients who have recovered from Covid-19 to donate their plasma in order to treat infections. The Delhi government will set up a helpline number to facilitate smooth donation of plasma. In fact, his government will provide transport facilities for people who want to donate their plasma, he said.

The need of setting up such bank, Kejriwal said, was felt when people were seen running from pillar to post to get plasma, PTI reported. Now, both government and private hospitals will be able to get plasma from the facility, he added.

“The plasma bank will be first of its kind for the treatment of Covid-19 patients,” he said as reported by PTI. Perhaps, it will be the “first plasma bank in the country,”

he added.

It is usually difficult to save the lives of the patients who are in the last stage or with co-morbidities and on ventilator support. However, plasma therapy is very helpful for patients who are in a moderate stage.

According to health officials, Delhi has so far conducted clinical trials of plasma therapy on 29 covid-19 patients. And the result was “encouraging”, said Kejriwal.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain was administrated plasma therapy at Max Hospital, Saket, after he tested positives. He has been discharged from the hospital after he recovered.

Kejriwal informed that of the 35 Covid-19 patients who were administered plasma therapy at LNJP Hospital, 34 patients have recovered while one patient died. And, private hospitals have seen 46 patients, out of 49, recovered from Covid-19 after administered with plasma therapy.