Image Source: twitter/62Shamsi

Today, the head of the National Institute of Blood Disease & Bone Marrow Transplantation (NIBD & BMT) held a presser and pleaded to the recovered COVID-19 patients to donate their plasma as it's showing significant promise in treating coronavirus patients.

He said:

"We're trying to treat coronavirus without medicine and till now we've given plasma to more than 200 patients in the country. Those who were in a critical condition and were given plasma showed signs of getting better."

Image Source: twitter/62Shamsi

He further went on to say:

"Of those people who were given plasma therapy, 80% of them didn't need any ventilator and most of them recovered completely within a few days. It's quite encouraging news for us."

The hematologist also conveyed his worry about the scarcity of willing plasma donors. He urged the recovered patients to come forward as it's so crucial for COVID patients fighting for their lives. He complained in these words:

"Every day, we receive calls from all over Pakistan that plasma is needed for their patient. But we're unable to arrange enough plasma. Maybe we haven't been able to convey the importance of the matter. I appeal to those who have recovered to donate plasma. Two patients can be treated with the plasma of one person. Antibodies are generated again in the donor in the next two-three days. And donor can donate plasma again after 7 days. So if you donate plasma once, you save two lives, and if you donate thrice you save six lives. We're appealing for the sake of humanity but we are not getting a response from them."

Dr. Shamsi receiving an appreciation certificate from President Alvi. Image Source: twitter/62Shamsi

This type of therapy is proving to be quite useful in the fight against the virus all over the world. Plasma is taken from the blood of patients who have recovered from COVID-19. As it's rich in antibodies it can help other patients recover faster if it is administered properly after matching the blood groups of both donor and recipient.

Recovered patients in the country can donate their plasma at the following centers in the country.

1) Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad
2) Rawalpindi Medical University
3) University of Health Sciences, Lahore
4) Pakistan Kidney Liver Institute, Lahore
5) Khwaja Safdar Medical College Hospital, Sialkot
6) Regional Blood Centre, Sukkur
7) People’s University of Medical and Health Sciences, Nawabshah
8) Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar

https://youtu.be/01Fhw08eP5Y