Odisha set to include plasma therapy in COVID-19 patient care

COVID-19 hospitals in the State are also yet to prescribe another antiviral drug Remdesivir, which has received the approval for emergency use in treating patients.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

BHUBANESWAR:  With worst-hit Maharashtra and New Delhi exploring various options for increasing use of plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients, Odisha government is set to follow suit.

Plasma therapy involves using convalescent blood plasma from people who have recovered from COVID and infusing it into patients under treatment. Though there is still no specific therapy or drug to cure COVID-19, plasma therapy has been claimed to have positive effect in serious patients.

Odisha has one of the highest recovery rate of over 73 per cent and the Government believes recovered patients will come forward to donate their plasma. Initially, it has been planned in two hospitals in Cuttack. Additional Chief Secretary of Health and Family Welfare department PK Mohapatra said a decision in this regard will be taken in a high-level meeting scheduled on Thursday.

Meanwhile, antiviral drug Favipiravir, under brand name FabiFlu, that has been approved by Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for treatment of mild to moderate coronavirus patients has found no takers in Odisha.

The COVID-19 hospitals in the State are also yet to prescribe another antiviral drug Remdesivir, which has received the approval for emergency use in treating patients. The restricted-use drug meant only for the hospital supplies can be administered to moderate to serious patients. Remdesivir was the first drug to show improvement in COVID-19 patients in formal clinical trials. 

Apart from Remdesivir and FabiFlu, a corticosteroid Dexamethasone, has also got the nod for COVID-19 treatment. The State has a stock of around 2 lakh tablets and 2 lakh injections of Dexamethasone. Mohapatra said all COVID hospitals and chief district medical and public health officers have been directed to procure COVID-19 drugs as per requirement.

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