Delhi Govt. to set up plasma bank for COVID-19 patients

870

By Aminul Islam Mirja

NEW DELHI, June 29, 2020 (BSS) – The state government of Delhi is set to install a plasma bank in view of growing demands for such a facility to treat serious COVID-19 patients, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in a virtual media briefing here today.

“The bank will start working by next two days,” he said adding that the growing demand for a plasma providing facility prompted his state government to take the decision.

According to Kejrial the plasma bank would operate like a blood bank while it would be the first such facility in India, which emerged as the world’s fourth major pandemic victim in terms of coronavirus fatalities.

The bank will be set up in the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) hospital in South Delhi and patients admitted both in government and private hospitals could avail its services ih doctors’ recommendations.

Kejriwal said prospective donors could provide plasma calling up a helpline, to be used by healthcare officials as well to seek plasma from recovering Covid-19 patients.

He said the state government was encouraged by Lok Nayak Hospital’s success in reducing death rate by 50 percent using the plasma therapy.

According to the data provided by the Union Health Ministry, India’s COVID-19 tally climbed to 5,48,318 today with a single day spike of 19,459 cases with Moharashtra being the worst victim with rapid growth of infection cases.

Moharashtra was followed by Delhi and Tamil Nadu appeared to be the third major victim of coronavirus onslaughts according to state-wise infection tally.