Guwahati:
The Assam government on Thursday announced that it will launch a mega drive to boost its plasma bank reserves wherein those recovered COVID-19 patients from outside desirous of donating the blood component will be accorded state guest status and provided return flight tickets and accommodation. Minister for Health and Family Welfare Himanta Biswa Sarma said recovered symptomatic patients from other states can come to Assam and donate plasma for the treatment of coronavirus positive patients here.
“We will launch a nationwide publicity campaign and those from other states desiring to donate plasma will be accorded state guest status, along with to and fro flight tickets and accommodation facilities,” he said. In Assam, there were few COVID-19 cases during the initial stages and as such the number of plasma donors is less now. But with the increase in positive cases there will be more donors from the next month, Sarma said.
“We have decided to strengthen our plasma bank drive and appeal to all symptomatic recovered patients to join us in this movement,” he said. The recovered patients will be provided with a plasma donation card at the time of discharge from hospital and after 28 days they can contact the authorities for donation. But they have to do so within three months of their discharge, he said.
A person can donate 400 gm of plasma which can be used for treating two COVID-19 patients, Sarma added. A plasma bank has already been operationalised at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital. The drive has been intensified with the first donor being a doctor. Two other doctors donated on Thursday and two others are scheduled to do so on Friday, he said.
“Doctors from our state have displayed their exemplary dedication towards humanity by not only treating patients for endless hours in PPE kits, getting infected by the disease and now they are donating plasma to cure more patients,” he said. Five recovered patients have already donated their plasma, while three positive patients have received plasma treatment, he added.
Sarma said those recovered patients from the state who donate plasma can use their donor certificates for preferential treatment under various government schemes. Besides GMCH, plasma banks will become operational immediately at the four medical colleges of Silchar, Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Tezpur while Barpeta and Diphu will have them after 15 days, he said.
These plasma banks will be linked online and will be coordinated by a National Health Mission team, he added. Out of the total 19754 positive patients in the state so far, 12888 have recovered. There are 6815 active cases, 48 afflicted have died and three others have migrated.
