Results of plasma therapy encouraging, says Arvind Kejriwal
In what provides a ray of hope in these gloomy times, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday that the plasma therapy trials have yielded "encouraging results" in the fight against coronavirus. At the press meet, the AAP leader urged people who have been cured of the disease to come forward and help those who are ill. Here's more on what he said.
What is plasma therapy? How does it work?
Delhi's hospitals used plasma therapy after it gave good results in other countries. In this therapy, plasma from a convalescent coronavirus patient is transfused into a critical patient. Since the blood of one who has recovered is rich in antibodies, it can help the critical patient fight the disease. In the national capital, 2,376 have caught the coronavirus infection and 50 have died.
A critical patient could soon be discharged
Kejriwal revealed that in the last few days, the therapy was tried on four patients of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital. Of them, two patients could soon be leaving the hospital, Kejriwal said. One of them was extremely critical and was short of being placed on a ventilator. "Till now the results are encouraging," Kejriwal said.
Recovery of 10 patients will be considered a good lead
Further, SK Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Science, said that if 10 patients recover through this therapy, it will be considered a good lead. "We are happy with the positive results in the four patients. Blood and plasma are ready for two-three other patients at LNJP hospital, we may give them the plasma therapy today," Sarin, who accompanied Kejriwal, said.
Kejriwal had a message for those who have recovered
"Those who have recovered from coronavirus, if they donate their plasma, only then can we take this treatment forward. Those who come forward and donate, it will be an act of true patriotism," Kejriwal said.
ICMR called for clinical trials across the country
For this therapy to be done across the country, permission is needed from the Drug Control Authority as some rules related to blood donation have to be tweaked. Notably, the Indian Council of Medical Research, the top body leading the fight, has suggested clinical trials across the nation. In India, 722 people have died of coronavirus and more than 23,000 are infected.
