Poor sell plasma for survival

Financial hardships are forcing some plasma donors to demand more money from Covid-19 infected patients in several parts in Andhra Pradesh.

In a recent case at Indian Red Cross society’s (IRCS) blood bank in Nellore, a voluntary donor expressed his interest to donate his plasma and when the authorities informed him that he would get `5,000 as a financial incentive announced by the state government for donation of plasma, the donor asked for more money claiming that he was poor.

However, the IRCS authorities informed him that they were unable to pay extra. He donated the plasma. As the IRCS authorities were discussing that, the family members of a Covid-19 patient arrived seeking plasma of a specific blood group matching the one donated. The donor overheard it and approached the family members claiming that they were going to be given the plasma donated by him and he wanted more money. The family members refused to pay more and alerted the IRCS authorities who in turn admonished the donor and sent him home.

In another case in Visakhapatnam, a senior government official was infected with Covid-19 and was in need of plasma. The health authorities identified a suitable donor and asked him whether he could donate plasma as his blood group matched the official’s. The donor reportedly asked for more money, claiming financial hardships in his family due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Though the government has announced a financial incentive of `5,000 for a plasma donor, there is no clarity as to who should release that amount.