For the first time during this pandemic, plasma from the State-supported HCG plasma bank in Bengaluru has been sent for use in two critical patients in Srinagar, Kashmir.
Two units of convalescent ‘COVID-19 Plasma’ have been airlifted from Bengaluru to Kashmir for the critical patients under treatment in the ICUs of two different government hospitals in Srinagar. This was achieved with the help of BIAL and Indigo Airlines.
While one patient is a 61-year-old female, the other is a 63-year-old male.
The plasma bank was launched recently by COVID-19 India Campaign, under the aegis of ICATT Foundation in association with HCG Hospitals and the State government. The plasma bank has been set up under Mission COPE (COVID Plasma Endeavour) to promote plasma donation from recovered COVID-19 patients.
U.S. Vishal Rao, associate dean, HCG Hospitals, and programme director of Mission COPE, who also heads the bank, told The Hindu that the patients’ families reached out to the hospital through a relative who is a doctor in Bengaluru and shared the emergency need for plasma for the patients.
“The plasma reached Srinagar on Tuesday afternoon safely. We appreciate the sincere efforts of the airlines team and hope best for patients’ recovery,” Dr. Rao said. “The creation of a successful air corridor opens up new possibilities for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 with plasma from anywhere in the country,” he added. As many as 250 recovered COVID-19 patients have donated plasma so far in the State which has been used for over 340 patients.
