Plasma sent to Varanasi, transfused to Covid patient

SO FAR, THE KGMU HAS DONE TRANSFUSION OF DONATED PLASMA ON SEVEN PATIENTS AND HELPED THEM RECOVER

LUCKNOW : Plasma from the King George’s Medical University blood bank was transported to the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi in roughly over four hours on Monday to be transfused to a Covid-19 patient admitted there.

“We got the request from the district magistrate’s office in Varanasi for a Covid-19 patient admitted to the BHU. We arranged the transportation and the plasma (in an ice pack) reached there in about four hours,” said Tulika Chandra, HoD, transfusion medicine at the KGMU.

Thereafter, the plasma transfusion was done immediately, she added. Plasma therapy is a method for treating Covid-19 patients with the help of antibodies developed in the body of a treated patient.

The plasma donated by a treated patient is transfused to an admitted patient.

So far, the KGMU has done transfusion of donated plasma on seven patients and helped them recover. It is the first institution in UP to start plasma therapy.

During the day, two more treated patients donated plasma, said Prof Chandra. GRP personnel Ajay Pratap Singh and Aftab Ahmad donated it.