INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A Covid survivor donates plasma (Photo: PTI)The government said on Sunday that convalescent plasma therapy has not been recommended by the
Ministry of Health as a mainstay of the coronavirus therapy
It also said that there is no proposal under consideration to set up the plasma banks.In a written reply, Minister of State for Health
Ashwini Choubey said states have taken initiative to establish such banks to provide plasma therapy to coronavirus positive patients but no
central database of such banks is maintained.He was responding to a question on the total number of plasma banks running at present to
provide plasma therapy to the Corona/Covid-19 patients in the country state-wise and if the government proposes to set up more plasma banks
to cope with disease in the country.Convalescent Plasma therapy has been included in the Clinical Management Protocol for COVID-19 as an
investigational therapy for use in a defined subgroup of patients only, Choubey underlined.Use of this therapy may be considered in patients
with moderate disease who are not improving by use of other mainstay therapies like oxygen supplementation, steroids, etc under strict
medical supervision."Convalescent plasma therapy has not been recommended by the Ministry of Health as a mainstay of therapy and there is no
proposal under consideration of Ministry of Health to set up plasma banks for providing COVID-19 therapy."States, however, with a view to
ensure availability of plasma, in case needed, have taken initiative to establish such banks in certain banks
No central database of such banks is maintained," he clarified.(With PTI inputs)
