5,000 patients benefited from plasma therapy via ILBS bank: Jain

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday said about 5,000 COVID-19 patients have benefitted from plasma therapy thanks to a facility for its storage at the state-run Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences.

He was addressing an audience virtually during the 11th foundation day of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), where Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also joined in through video conference.

"ILBS took the lead when Delhi was badly hit by COVID-19, and did 1,000 RT-PCR tests a day at times. Then, CM Arvind Kejriwal opened a first-of-its-kind plasma bank there. And, thanks to ILBS, about 5,000 patients have benefitted from it," Jain said, adding it was a "remarkable feat".

The health minister, a COVID-19 survivor, had in October told reporters that plasma therapy saved his life.

The first plasma bank of Delhi was opened on July 2 by Kejriwal at ILBS in south Delhi. After that another bank was opened at LNJP Hospital, then a dedicated coronavirus facility.

The health minister had tested positive for COVID-19 in June and was hospitalised. He was later administered plasma therapy at a leading private hospital here, following which he had recovered and later also urged others to donate plasma.

The foundation day lecture was delivered by technocrat Nandan Nilekani, ILBS officials said.