Plasma therapy gains momentum with 700 people willing to donate

GUWAHATI: Nearly 700 recovered patients have evinced interest to donate plasma in Assam , suggesting an increase in the number of people joining the drive. Many of these donors are from outside the state and the number has seen a surge over the past few weeks.

Calling the convalescent plasma therapy a highly successful mode of treatment for Covid-19 patients, executive director of National Health Mission (NHM), Assam, Dr Manoj Choudhury said majority of the patients have responded well to the therapy.

"We have given plasma to 15 people to date and it has helped most of them recover. Two patients, however, died despite the therapy, but they were ones having severe co-morbidities," Choudhury added.

With 34 recovered patients have already donated plasma till Sunday, officer on special duty to NHM, Assam, Pomi Baruah said by the first two weeks of August, around 100 people will have completed their 28-day period post discharge and thus will be eligible for plasma donation . Five donors had already lined up for donation at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital on Sunday.

Baruah, who is looking after plasma therapy in the state, said machines have already reached Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, Assam Medical College and Hospital and Tezpur Medical College and Hospital, where plasma therapy will start soon. "A lot of people from Jorhat, Tezpur and Upper Assam areas have expressed willingness to donate plasma. So, we have expedited the process in other medical colleges in those areas so that people don't have to travel all the way to Guwahati to donate," she added.

Baruah informed that majority of the donors have come from Baksa, Goalpara , Dhubri, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Jorhat, Hojai and Kamrup districts. "The patients who were discharged earlier from Guwahati were mainly asymptotic and hence their antibody count was low," Barua said, adding that one person gives two units of plasma which can be used for two persons.

After screening, the plea of around 30 donors were rejected on health grounds. She said due to diabetes, thyroid and other co-morbidities, their plasma could not be collected, while age and weight are key factors too when it comes to donation.

Till 2 pm on Sunday, 195 people were found to be eligible for plasma donation via the 104 health helpline number. Out of these, six calls were made from outside the state. However, after their screening tests at the blood bank , a final call will be taken whether their plasma can be collected. Additionally, Baruah said 12-15 people from outside the state have contacted the state health department expressing willingness to donate plasma.

"People from Hyderabad, Delhi and other parts of the country have contacted us to donate plasma, but many of them are yet to complete the 28-day period. Women are also enthusiastic, but there is a condition that they should never have been pregnant," Baruah added.