Delhi gets ‘first of its kind’ plasma bank
CM Arvind Kejriwal urges people to donate plasma to save COVID-19 patients
NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday inaugurated the “first of its kind” plasma bank for COVID-19 patients who need to be administered convalescent plasma therapy, while saying that recovered patients can donate their plasma after days of being cured of the virus.
CM Kejriwal also launched two phone numbers where people who have recovered from the virus can contact - 1031 and Whatsapp number 8800007722 - to get details for plasma donation. The donor will also be given an appreciation letter, the CM said. “Today, we have started the ‘plasma bank’ and some people have also donated. As we all know there is no vaccine for novel coronavirus yet, but plasma therapy seems to be quite helpful for COVID patients,” he told reporters after visiting the plasma bank at ILBS. During the briefing, Kejriwal said that plasma bank will be successful only when people come forward to donate their plasma for Coronavirus patients. Addressing an online media briefing, Kejriwal said the eligibility for being a plasma donor is “very strict”, and hoped that with this bank the number of COVID-19 deaths will decrease in the national capital. “Plasma will be given based on doctor’s prescription and the hospital concerned will have to approach ILBS to get the same. I request people to not approach the plasma bank directly,” he added.
About eligibility parameters for donors, Kejriwal said that those aged between 18 and 60 and weighing not less than 50 kg can donate their plasma, adding that women, who have been pregnant, cannot donate plasma and that those people, who take insulin and their blood sugar level is not stable, also cannot be donors. “Those, who have heart, kidney and lung disease, are not eligible to donate their plasma. People having a complaint of hypertension also cannot donate,” he said.
The chief minister said that the initiative was started as there were many complaints of people not being able to find the right plasma donor in time for their loved ones. While maintaining that it has not proven to be a permanent solution for the disease, he said that it has done well in clinical trials.