Covid survivors reluctant to donate plasma in city

To find a recovered Covid19 patient to donate plasma in Hyderabad is a Herculean task as they are not coming forward to help out. Some recovered patients are holding a grudge against hospitals for overcharging them and not responding to appeals for help.

Others are bluntly denying that they suffered from Covid 19 when their phone numbers are circulated as being eligible for plasma donation. Because of these factors, many patients needing plasma therapy are chasing false leads.

The state has 32,438 recovered patients of whom at least 25,000 are eligible to donate plasma.

Patients whose numbers were given by hospitals are saying: “Kisne bola humko Covid-19 hua. Kaun faila raha hai yeh khabar? Hamare baju wale ko hua aur hum ko ghar pe bitha diya (Who says I had Covid-19? Someone is spreading rumours. My neighbour had

Covid-19 and I was quarantined).”

Many others simply switch off their phones when they get calls asking for plasma. Others simply refuse to donate plasma, saying that they are saving it for their near and dear ones.

Private hospitals who have treated more than

400 patients and have a good number under home treatment are finding the recovered patients scared. “What if we get Covid 19 again? Who will take care of us? Will we have to pay the same huge hospital bills?,” are some of the questions asked.

A senior doctor said, “The doctor who treated

Covid-19 patients needs plasma for recovery and those very patients are refusing to come forward. This is inhuman. If this is the way society behaves, doctors will have to think of saving themselves.”

“This behaviour has affected our morale and we are asking ourselves whether we should take such risks,” the doctor said.

Dr Ashih Chauhan, senior general physician explained, “Plasma therapy is promising and patients need to come forward willingly to help society. Improving the recovery rate is not the goal only of healthcare providers but also of society. We all have to stand together in this.”

Lack of counselling for recovered patients, failure to create and crosscheck records for accurate information and no follow-up after recovery are leading to this situation.

A senior government doctor on condition of anonymity explained, “We have struggled at all levels from testing to treating. Now that treatment is showing results, we need to boost the morale of people who have recovered and persuade them to come back and help other serious patients recover.”

He said plasma donation is similar to blood donation from Covid-19 recovered patients.