Many recovered patients refuse to donate plasma

Many recovered patients refuse to donate plasma

Amrita.Didyala@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad:09.06.2020

Even as health authorities and a few plasma donors in the state are trying to convince patients who have recovered from Covid-19 to donate plasma, they frequently find potential donors unresponsive. At least 15 potential donors who previously showed interest have blocked the phone numbers of counsellors who tried to reach them.

The first donor in the state who together with two Indian origin US citizens started a Facebook page to find and connect potential donors, admits taking ‘no’ for an answer 90 percent of the time. “Right from getting excuses like I feel weak, I am scared and my parents do not agree, I have even heard excuses like I never got corona,” said Akhil Enamsetty, a lawyer by profession and the first donor in the state. While at the isolation ward in the hospital, he had convinced fellow patients to donate. Akhil along with Rajnipriya Pabbathi and Shankarnarayan started the initiative after the duo contacted him over Facebook. So far, the group has been able to connect 30 donors across the country.

Akhil also expressed interest in donating for a second time, hoping to motivate people. “Donating plasma is a very simple process and does not affect one’s health at all. Plasma is replaced within a week by the body. There is absolutely no risk, otherwise why would I be willing to donate for the second time,” he said.

Meanwhile, the first patient to have received plasma therapy and has completely recovered said that the therapy is a life saver. “I was on my deathbbed and constantly thinking of my family. I was unable to walk even three steps and was constantly gasping. It took just two days to show improvement and within seven days, I had recovered almost completely,” said Vamsi Krishna.

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