KUNDAN RAJPUT
NASHIK :
While the world waits for the first round of drugs against Covid-19 to prove their worth, states like Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala and Gujarat have already stepped up to provide plasma to those who need it.
The city of Nashik is also gearing up for plasma therapy as the guardian minister has already hinted at plasma collection. This involves using blood plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 and infusing it into patients who currently have the disease.
Although no vaccine has yet been developed for the highly infectious Coronavirus, plasma therapy is currently under consideration for the city. The body of a person who has overcome COVID-19 develops antibodies against this virus which causes the body to overcome the disease. These antibodies are present in the plasma of blood.
Antibodies from the blood of the Corona-free patient are infused into the blood of the Corona-positive patient. These antibodies overcome the coronavirus and cure the positive patient. All of these procedures are called plasma therapy.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also underwent plasma therapy to get rid of COVID-19. Efforts are also being made in Nashik to collect plasma and to treat patients with plasma therapy.
Plasma therapy is being applied from China, from where the COVID-19 spread across the world up to the United States,
It has also been successful in many countries. Plasma Bank has been set up at Nagpur Medical College in Maharashtra. Currently the plasma of a person who overcame Corona virus is stored in this bank.
Antibodies are formed in the blood. The body of a person who has beat corona has abundant antibodies. In the fight against corona, these antibodies are the soldiers fighting against the virus. This plasma is isolated from the blood of a person who has overcome the disease.
If it is released into the body of the positive patient, these antibodies help boost the immune system, overcome the corona virus, and recover the patient.
Plasma therapy is not performed on every patient infected with Corona, especially if the patient is on an ICU ventilator or critically ill or with reduced oxygen uptake or hemoglobin deficiency and or have crossed 60 years of age. Plasma therapy was first introduced in Kerala. Now this treatment method is also being followed in Maharashtra.
Plasma therapy on infectious diseases
Plasma therapy was first used in 1918 on the Spanish flu, SARS and Ebola diseases. This treatment usually costs between Rs 2000 and Rs 3000. A kit is used to remove plasma from a person’s body. The cost of this kit is around Rs 9000.
Plasma can be saved one year in the bank
The plasma of patients who have recovered from COVID-19 are stored in the deep freezer for one year in a Plasma Bank. Plasma should not be used if the person has diabetes, cancer or other disorders. Also these plasma are segregated according to blood group. After one year the immunity power of the antibodies in that plasma reduces. It cannot then be used for plasma therapy.
COVID-19 can be cured by plasma therapy. Plasma Bank has been opened at Nagpur Medical College and the study and treatment of this therapy is currently underway. Plasma is collected from individuals who have recovered from the disease and who do not have other disorders.
– Dr. Preeti Bajaj, Head, Pathology Department
Dr. Vasantrao Pawar Medical College The antibodies which are capable to fight the virus are developed in the body of a person who has fully recovered from Corona. These antibodies are removed by plasma and infused into the patient’s bloodstream. This therapy is now being implemented as a treatment in various countries.
– Dr. Shriya Kulkarni