EACH DISTRICT TO GET A PLASMA CENTRE

SANJAY JOG | Mumbai

Two days after the launch of Project Platina (largest plasma therapy treatment project), the Maharashtra government, on Thursday, decided to set up plasma centres in all 36 districts in a bid to apply this therapy on COVID-19 patients amidst rising cases. Minister of Public Health Rajesh Tope said that nine of 10 patients have benefited because of the application of plasma therapy in the state.

Tope said plasma therapy, or Convalescent Plasma Therapy (CPT), has proved to be useful in fighting other coronavirus diseases, such as SARS and MERS, and its use against COVID-19 has shown encouraging results on patients across the country and the world. He argued that plasma therapy is an effective treatment against the virus.

“The state has been working on plasma therapy since beginning to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Under Project Platina, trials will be conducted in 17 medical colleges across the state, which accounts for 1.64 lakh coronavirus cases out of the national total of 5.48 lakh,” Tope said.

The minister said that more than 93,000 COVID-19 patients were recovered in the state.

Tope once again clarified that there is no community transmission of the virus in the state. “There is no community transmission in Maharashtra. Most of the positive cases in the state are of people who are either under institutional quarantine, home quarantine or with some contact history,” he noted.

In a related development, the government has taken a decision to allow the relatives of COVID-19 patients access inside the hospitals. “Relatives of COVID-19 patients will be allowed to visit hospitals, so that they can speak to the patients. The hospitals have been asked to provide a special space for the same. Hospitals have also been asked to install CCTVs in ICUs,” Tope said.

Relatives of COVID-19 patients will be allowed to visit hospitals, so that they can speak to the patients. The hospitals have been asked to provide a special space for the same. Hospitals have also been asked to install CCTVs in ICUs. - RAJESH TOPE, PUBLIC HEALTH MINISTER