1st plasma unit from Lucknow to save BHU’s Covid-19 patient

VARANASI: Even as no donor turned up to save the life of a private medical practitioner after the formal beginning of plasma therapy at Banaras Hindu University hospital three days ago, the district administration arranged a plasma unit from Lucknow on Saturday.
To ensure availability of plasma units collected from cured Covid-19 patients at blood banks of Varanasi, the district administration also roped in the officials of Red Cross and Indian Medical Association (Varanasi branch) who have been mobilising Covid patients who got cure by mid-June to come forward and donate their plasma.Talking to TOI, the district magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma said, “As no plasma unit could be arranged at the blood bank of BHU hospital and it was urgently needed for a private medico, we spoke to KGMU officials in Lucknow after which one unit of plasma was arranged and transported to Varanasi on Saturday afternoon.” With its arrival, the first plasma therapy will be conducted in Varanasi after the announcement of its formal beginning at BHU hospital on July 9. BHU hospital is designated for providing level-3 facility for critical Covid positive cases, while it also houses the only laboratory for sample testing in east UP region.
When asked about the reason behind the delay in beginning the plasma therapy even as the cases are on a constant rise, the DM said, “The BHU hospital authorities informed us that their initial application for clinical research of plasma therapy had been turned down by ICMR. When I talked to ICMR officials, they said permission was being sought for research work, but there was no restriction on giving plasma therapy to those Covid cases who need it. Thereafter, BHU hospital authorities were asked to provide therapy.”