Cured Covid patients turn plasma donors, motivate others

LUCKNOW: Ajai Pratap, who recovered after testing positive for coronavirus has a new job these days. Having donated plasma post recovery, he is now motivating other Covid patients who have recovered to do so as well.

“It (plasma donation process) took little more than an hour and I feel fully healthy and fit,” he said. Ajai donated plasma, after completing treatment for COVID-19, at the King George’s Medical University (KGMU) on July 13. “I am happy my donation will save someone’s life and I am now talking about it to colleagues and friends,” he said. Plasma donated by a treated patient is administered to a patient of the same blood group.

Ajai isn’t the only one. For there are others like Shatrughan Sinha, a media professional, who have donated plasma and are now motivating others.

“You won’t believe this. But I went to the KGMU blood bank on my two-wheeler, donated plasma, went office and then did my work for the entire day. There was no weakness or any health problem even for a moment,” said Kushwaha. He was discharged from KGMU on June 29 and he donated plasma on July 17.

Aftab, a government railway police (GRP) personnel who donated plasma in the second week of July, said donating plasma served a two-fold purpose. “Donating plasma helps save people. Before donating, several tests are done which also give you an update about latest health condition which makes it doubly beneficial,” he said.

“Till now we have got 21-plasma donations and over a dozen patients have received plasma transfusion, of which 7 have completed treatment and tested negative for COVID-19, while four are under treatment,” said Prof Tulika Chandra, HoD transfusion medicine at the KGMU that was first in state to start plasma therapy. She said the donors were between 30-years to 50-years of age.

Plasma therapy aims to give treatment to admitted COVID-19 patients by using immunity developed by the treated patients. This is done by transfusion of plasma donated by the treated patient to admitted patient, said Dr Sandeep Kapoor director Healthcity Hospital, explaining the therapy.

Umashankar, 53, a businessman in Lakhimpur has been telling people in his locality not to be afraid of coronavirus.