RGGGH to have country’s second plasma bank

Chennai

"As there is no drug of choice treatment available for COVID-19, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami gave approval for plasma therapy. Following this, the State had obtained permission from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to conduct trial, and 18 out of 20 patients were treated using plasma therapy in the trial conducted in Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH)," the Minister said in a statement on Friday.

The government also released detailed guidelines for donating and storing plasma from those who have recovered from the infection. "Five-hundred ml of plasma from recovered persons should be extracted through Apheresis method to treat patients in the early stages of the infection," said Vijaya Baskar.

He added those in the age group of 18 to 65 can donate after 14 days of complete recovery and testing negative for COVID-19. However, persons with diabetes, blood pressure, cancer and those who have undergone surgery are not eligible to donate.

There should be a 28-day gap between a recovered patient donating plasma, and a person donate maximum of two times. The plasma should be stored at -40 degree Celsius, he added.

Plasma can help increase oxygen absorption, he said, explaining that 200 ml would be given for two days which would help neutralise the effects of coronavirus and reduce the dependency on artificial oxygen supply.

The government was taking steps to setup up a plasma bank at a cost of Rs 2 crore at RGGGH, the second such facility in the country after Delhi, Vijaya baskar added.