Amid rising cases of Covid-19 and reports of cured patients asking huge amounts for blood donation, the Maharashtra chapter of Indian Medical Association has urged the government to make blood donation for plasma therapy mandatory.
"In view of a rapid increase in the number of Covid-19 patients daily and scarcity of essential antiviral medicines, the Maharashtra government should increase the use of plasma therapy," said Dr Avinash Bhondwe, the president of IMA-Maharashtra.
According to him, plasma therapy was thoroughly tested at various government medical colleges and it proved effective as a life saving measure in the patients with hypoxia who need Oxygen and a possible ICU admission.
"However, it is not used frequently at various treatment centers in Maharashtra. It is said that one of the main reasons being the non availability of plasma donors in sufficient numbers. Besides, it has been reported the patients who have recovered from Covid-19 are asking huge amounts to donate their blood," he said.
In view of this, the IMA-Maharashtra appealed to government to make it mandatory for all the patients who got cured from the deadly disease, to donate blood for plasma therapy.
To facilitate this procedure, a mandatory undertaking can be taken from all the patients to report on the 15th day after the discharge or recovery.
After which they will be tested for fitness for blood donation.
"Separate plasma banks may be formed for the procedure at various places with the help of the blood banks in the public as well as the private sector," said Dr Bhondwe.
"We strongly feel that the increased availability of plasma will not only improve the recovery rate of the Covid-19 patients but also reduce the mortality in Maharashtra," said Dr Bhondwe
He also appealed to the citizens that that such compulsion to donate plasma should not be seen as an "autocratic activity" but an obligation towards humanity and commitment to save human lives.
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