SOS: PCMC appeals recovered COVID youths to donate plasma
Shikha Chaurasia
Pune, 26 July 2020: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has appealed to approximately 9000 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients who have recovered in the last two to three months from the deadly virus to donate plasma as it is very important for treating COVID-19 patients. The Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH), Pimpri, has been treating patients by plasma therapy and now they have run out of plasma stock.
Dean of YCM hospital and college Dr Rajendra Wable has told The Indian Express plasma therapy has proven successful and saved lives of lots of patients, we are planning to use it on a large scale. But unfortunately as of Saturday, we had run out of plasma stock which is given to serious patients. In these times, there is desperate need of plasma and recovered patients to come forward and donate blood.” He also said that they were trying to get in touch with hospitals like Aditya Birla Hospital which have blood banks.
Dr Aniket Lathi is a part of a team of doctors at the YCMH and he said that they gave plasma to at least 35 patients and the results were a staggering 90 per cent successful. He also said that if plasma is administered to patients at an early stage then the chances of defeating the virus become high. He also said that critical patients who were on oxygen support and non-invasive ventilators have also recovered after being treated with plasma therapy.
Answering the question on how and when to donate plasma, Dr Lathi said, “The antibodies reside in the patient’s body till three months after their recovery. Plasma donation can be done after 28 days or after since the patient tests positive.” He added further, “The antibodies of patients who suffered from high fever or pneumonia are highly beneficial for treatment because they a have a high level of antibodies when compared with asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients. But the plasma from these patients is also important.”
Dr Wable said that around 300-400 ml of blood is taken from a patient and then the plasma is separated from the blood and stored.
PCMC chief Shravan Hardikar in his appeal to the people said, “Those who want to donate plasma should register their names along with the blood group with YCM Hospital. Even on the PCMC website, we will provide a page so that COVID-free patients can register their names for the donation of plasma… on PCMC Sarathi app. If the blood group is mentioned, it will help us call the person with the matching group to donate plasma.”
Additional Municipal Commissioner of the PCMC Santosh Patil said that they will set up an awareness campaign to encourage recovered COVID patients to donate blood. They will also take the help of self-help groups and voluntary organizations.
