Updated 9 July 2020 at 17:26 IST
COVID-19: Delhi govt directs hospitals to nominate nodal officers to procure plasma
The Delhi government on Thursday announced that the Medical Superintendents of hospitals would be required to nominate a nodal officer for plasma procurement
The Delhi government on Thursday announced that the Medical Superintendents of hospitals would be required to nominate a nodal officer for the coordination, requisition, and insurance of plasma from the 'Plasma Bank.' The nodal officer is expected to provide voluntary plasma donor including replacement donors keeping in view the projected requirement of Convalescent plasma and its scarce availability. The national capital has reported 104864 cases of COVID-19 so far and 3,213 deaths due to the virus.
Issuing the order on Thursday, the Delhi government said, "For the sake of coordination, requisition and issuance of Convalescent plasma from Delhi plasma bank, all Medical Superintendents/In-charge of hospitals in government and private sectors are required to nominate a Nodal Officer."
Delhi gets India's first plasma bank
The national capital's plasma bank which is also India's first, started functioning on July 2 with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal encouraging recovered patients to donate their plasma. COVID-19 patients can donate their plasma 14 days after recovery. The Delhi CM has also issued numbers - 1031 and 8800007722 where people can contact for donation of plasma to save the lives of COVID-19 patients. The government has set up the plasma bank at the state-run Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences. Those aged between 18 and 60 and weighing not less than 50 kg can donate their plasma for COVID-19 patients.
Plasma Therapy has been considered as an effective treatment for COVID-19 positive patients. The therapy has shown significant results motivating several states including Assam and Maharashtra to get their own Plasma Bank to battle COVID-19. The therapy involves taking antibodies from the blood of a person who has recovered from COVID-19 and transfusing those into a coronavirus infected patient to help kick-start the immune system to fight the infection.
(With ANI Inputs)
Published By : Jitesh Vachhatani
Published On: 9 July 2020 at 17:26 IST