JLNMCH to start plasma therapy for Covid patients

BHAGALPUR: The much-awaited plasma therapy for treating Corona patients is likely to start at JawaharLal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JLNMCH) soon as the plasmapheresis machine has reached here and steps have been taken to install the same. “The machine is being installed in the blood bank division of JLNMCH at Mayaganj,” JLNMCH principal Dr Hemant Kumar Sinha said.

“Two specialist doctors and two technicians are being sent for training to a higher centre to learn the process of plasmapheresis. By the time the machine is installed, they will complete their training and plasmapheresis will start,” Dr Sinha added and said that hopefully plasma therapy at JLNMCH will start in the next 15 days.

Referring to plasmapheresis, Dr Sinha said that it is a process in which the liquid part of blood, which is known as plasma, is separated from the blood cells with the help of a machine. “Plasma is used in treatment of various ailments including auto-immune disorders and now in Covid-19 patients. Plasma of patients, who have recovered from Covid, develops antibodies and when this plasma is transfused to other critically ill patients, it helps in developing antibodies to fight the deadly disease,” Dr Sinha added.

Earlier, a six-member committee headed by HoD medicine Dr Binay Kumar, HoD surgery Dr Mrityunjay Kumar, associate professor in the department of medicine and nodal officer for Covid-19 Care Center at JLNMCH Dr Hem Shankar Sharma, Dr P B Mishra (department of medicine), HoD pathology Dr Satyendra Kumar and blood bank in-charge at JLNMCH Dr Rekha Jha was formed by the JLNMCH principal to look into the modalities for procuring necessary medical equipment for plasma therapy. JLNMCH doctors had also raised the issue when the health department principal secretary Pratyaya Amrit visited the hospital on July 31 to review the medicare facilities.

The Bhagalpur chapter of India Medical Association (IMA) had also drawn the attention of the state government authorities to start plasma therapy in Bhagalpur. “We hope to start plasma therapy, as per the guidelines of Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), soon at JLNMCH. Permission of the state health department and ICMR has also been sought,” Dr Sinha said.