Covid-19: Going beyond call of duty, 43 Assam policemen donate plasma

Going beyond their call of duties, 43 Assam police personnel, after winning their battles against coronavirus donated plasma on Saturday for treatment of other critical Covid-19 positive persons.

Most of them, in fact, contracted the virus either while enforcing the lockdown, guarding the Covid-19 care centres or protecting the VIPs including their senior officers. A total of 67 personnel turned up for the drive of which 43 were found eligible for the donation.

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This came on a day when the death toll due to Covid-19 in Assam crossed 100. Three persons succumbed to the virus on Saturday taking the death toll to 102.

"It is really a day of pride as police personnel decided to go beyond their call of duties and came forward to donate their plasma. Since we opened our plasma bank last month, 58 persons have donated their plasma. We tried the plasma therapy in 17 Covid-19 positive persons so far and we managed to save lives of all of them. The plasma donated by our police personnel has come as a boost in our efforts to save more lives. This shows how our policemen care for the society and others," health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said at a function organised during the donation at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.

Plasma therapy involves transfusion of plasma from a convalescent patient to a critical patient. The plasma of a convalescent patient contains anti-bodies which helps a critical patient to recover. A Covid-19 positive person, whose condition became critical can only donate the plasma. It is similar to normal blood donation exercise and there are no side effects.

"Our police personnel have not only remained confined to their law and order duty but even provided medicines and food to the needy families during the lockdown," Sarma said.

Nearly 1,500 police personnel in Assam tested Covid-19 positive and two of them even died so far. "The example set by the police personnel will not only boost the morale of those from the organization who are still under treatment but will also give a ray of hope to the people of the State," director general of police, Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said.

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As plasma therapy was found effective, Assam health department launched an awareness drive to promote plasma donation.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal tweeted while lauding the gesture shown by the policemen. "It's a great response that will encourage others to come forward and do their bit for humanity. I commend the courageous and selfless Corona Warriors of Assam Police, whose service goes much beyond the call of their duties. They are our heroes," Sonowal tweeted.

Assam's Covid-19 positive cases reached 40, 269 on Friday of which 11,088 are still active. The state reported 98 deaths so far due to Covid-19.