Coronavirus: West Bengal to set up 20 plasma banks

In a major boost to the use of plasma therapy in the treatment of Covid-19 patients in West Bengal, the state government has decided to set up 20 plasma banks in Kolkata and adjoining areas.

The plasma banks will be set in 20 Blood Component Separation Units across the state.

According to sources in the Health Department, the collected plasma will be provided free of cost to patients in government-run Covid-19 hospitals and also private Covid-19 hospitals overtaken by the state government.

They further revealed that several protocols have to be followed for plasma collection. A Covid-19 patient will be eligible for plasma donation after 28 days of recovery. It can only be collected following written consent from the donor.

The state government is also considering to collaborate with NGOs to encourage plasma donation and raise public awareness about the issue.

Health Department officials said that that hospital authorities will encourage recovered Covid-19 patients to donate plasma when they being discharge. They also said that plasmas will be collected through blood banks, mobile donation camps and blood donation camps.

The Health Department has also set up several eligibility criteria for plasma donors. Donors will have to weigh at least 45 kgs for plasma donation. Not more than 365 millilitres of whole blood can be collected from them. As for the second category of plasma donors they have to weigh at least 60 kgs and will be able to donate up to 495 millilitres of whole blood.