Docs laud plasma therapy nod, state plans

SNS, SILIGURI, 26 AUGUST 2020 : Here is high quality news for Siliguri people amid the depressing Covid-19 pandemic. Also, a section of the people, including a group of doctors who could not save the life of Covid- 19 patients here due to lack of permission from authorities concerned for Convalescent Plasma Therapy despite available donors, have heaved a big sigh of relief.
In view of the increasing need for Convalescent Plasma Therapy, the government of West Bengal has decided to set up Convalescent Covid 19 Plasma (CCP) banks in 20 state-run Blood Components
Separation Units (BCSU) by using the whole blood of people who have recovered from Covid-19 after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) allowed such plasma to be used 'off label' in moderately ill Covid patients.
Notably, responding to the state government's decision to set up CCP banks here, North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) authorities today held a meeting and decided to prepare Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) so that blood collection can be started as soon as possible. Officials, including NBMCH Principal Prof Prabir Kumar Deb, Head of the Department Medicine Dipanjan Bandyopadhyay, Dean of Student Affairs Sandeep Sengupta, Director, Regional Blood Transfusion Centre (RBTC), Mridumay Das, Associate Professor (Pathology) Kalyan Khan and other officials discussed the technical matters in detail, based on the government guidelines.
"We are preparing an SOP to begin collection of blood within a week. We also plan to ready the set-up for CCP banks as per the guidelines of the state government," RBTC Director Mridumay Das said.
Officials also discussed that "titration" of anti- Covid 19 antibodies may be done afterwards when appropriate kits are available, sources said.
It may be noted that the state government has asked blood banks to identify potential CCP donors from the list of patients who have recovered from Covid-19. It is stated that the blood banks should seek help and coordination from Non-government organizations working for this particular cause.
"To run a CCP bank is very tough because it is based on multi-windows system. Permission is required for the therapy of a patient from authorities concerned," a Siliguri based doctor said.
On the other hand, the state government's order says, "Convalescent plasma can be prepared in all state government BCSU by separation of whole blood collected from a recovered Covid 19 patient and such plasma will be issued free of cost to the patients admitted in government and government requisitioned Covid hospitals as and when required on requisition."
The order adds that all recovered cases of Covid- 19 or those who havehad symptoms suggestive of Covid-19, with complete resolution of symptoms at least 28 days prior to donation, maybe considered as convalescent plasma donor and maximum time limit of donation is up to four months from the onset of disease.