Kejriwal Inaugurates Delhi’s Second Plasma Bank At Lok Nayak Hospital

Kejriwal Inaugurates Delhi’s Second Plasma Bank At Lok Nayak Hospital

COVID FIGHT: CM Says Donations Playing Important Role In Reducing Death Rate

15.07.2020

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:

The capital’s second plasma bank set up at Lok Nayak Hospital was inaugurated by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday. The first such facility was opened on July 2 at Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) in south Delhi. A third bank is likely to start functioning soon at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in east Delhi.

“After the huge success of our first plasma bank, we launched Delhi’s 2nd plasma bank today at LNJP Hospital #DelhiFightsCorona,” the CM tweeted after the inauguration.

Kejriwal said that plasma therapy was playing an important role in reducing the death rate of Covid-positive patients and, until a vaccine to fight the infection hits the market, it should be looked at as an effective treatment.

“We are not claiming that 100% lives will be saved through plasma therapy, but it has been effective in treating people. Plasma has also played an important role in reducing the death rate in Delhi,” said the chief minister.

The CM said more than 200 people had taken plasma from ILBS till date. “We do not want to store plasma in the bank forever. No one should suffer from lack of plasma. The arrangement should be such that one who comes to get plasma must get it easily,” he added.

With 2,000 beds, Lok Nayak in central Delhi is the city’s largest healthcare facility for Covid-19 patients. So far, over 3,600 patients have been discharged from this hospital, many of whom are eligible to donate plasma. It was also the first facility to start the trials of convalescent plasma therapy in April.

Being centrally located, the plasma bank at Lok Nayak Hospital would be easily accessible by donors. While ILBS has three apheresis machines, one unit has been set up at Lok Nayak so far. An official said the number would be increased based on the requirement.

At Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, about 30 recovered patients have been donating plasma every day. A team of about 150 doctors and medical personnel have been calling recovered patients to convince them to donate plasma. To ensure balance between demand and supply, the government has now made it mandatory for each recipient to bring a plasma donor along.

The chief minister said that the spread of the novel coronavirus was gradually reducing and the recovery rate of patients was increasing quickly. Earlier, 35 of 100 people tested used to be found Covid-positive. This number had now reduced to 7-8. Fatalities had also come down from 101 in mid-June to 40 now.

“However, I want to urge Delhiites not to become complacent about the situation. Nothing is known about the virus and infections may rise again tomorrow. Therefore, we need to take precautions, wear a mask, maintain social distancing, wash our hands and sanitise them repeatedly,” said Kejriwal, adding Delhi government would continue its efforts in setting up more facilities to rule out any possibilities of lack of treatment if cases surge in the capital.

Lauding the central government and other agencies for their support in the fight against the novel coronavirus, Kejriwal said, “I am happy that the Prime Minister has praised the Delhi model. All this has been achieved with everyone’s support.”

BATTLE ON OUR HANDS: While inaugurating the plasma bank, the CM called for need to shed complacency

CM KEJRIWAL SAYS

We are not claiming that 100% lives will be saved through plasma therapy, but it has been effective in treating people