Team Herald
PANJIM: A 40-year-old male COVID survivor became the first plasma donor in Goa, as the State launched the plasma bank for critically ill patients.
With COVID-19 cases increasing in the State, the State government on Sunday launched plasma therapy for treating the people affected with the virus. The State will have a 4,000 capacity plasma bank.
The apheresis machine for plasma has been installed at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) at Bambolim.
Sources informed that two COVID recovered persons have come forward to donate their plasma. “One amongst them donated his plasma on Saturday; while the second person will do so on Tuesday,” sources said.
The donor has requested not to reveal his identity.
Plasma is the clear, straw-coloured liquid portion of blood that remains after red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and other cellular components are removed. It is the single largest component of human blood, comprising about 55 per cent and contains water, salts, enzymes, antibodies and other proteins.
The plasma therapy requires drawing blood from patients, who have recovered from COVID-19 and using the plasma and antibodies from that blood in active patients. Unlike blood donation, only the plasma is drawn from the blood.
As of Saturday, total 1428 patients have recovered, while active cases stand at 928.
Till Sunday, Goa reported 14 deaths due to COVID.
The government in a digital campaign launched has been encouraging recovered patients to donate their plasma. It has said that the decision to start the plasma therapy was taken in view of rising fatalities in the State due to COVID.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, a person who has fully recovered from COVID infection for at least two weeks can donate plasma. The patient must not have any symptoms of COVID infection for at least 14 days.
A person over 17 years of age, weighing more than 50 kg with haemoglobin level more than 8gm/dl and presence of adequate antibody titre can donate plasma.
An expecting mother, cancer survivor, chronic kidney/heart/lung or liver disease and uncontrolled diabetes person should not donate plasma.