PGI Chandigarh establishes Plasma Bank, to encourage cured COVID patients to donate plasma
Chandigarh: In order to cater to the needs of the increasing number of COVID patients, the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh (PGI Chandigarh) has established a plasma Bank in the Department of Transfusion Medicine.
In this regard, an expert committee was constituted by the Director of PGI Chandigarh. This came following the directions given by the Punjab government and UT administrator VP Singh Bandnore.
The specialized committee informed that convalescent plasma will be administered specifically based on the ICMR guidelines for its off-level use. Moreover, the treatment will be given to the people after confirming their clinical condition and the seriousness of the disease.
The plasma bank committee has also asked the nodal officers of hospitals outside PGI to share a list of COVID-19 patients with the department who have already recovered from COVID-19 and have been discharged from the hospital so that those who recovered can also be encouraged to donate the plasma, report The Tribune.
The committee further clarified that the government and the private hospital who want to administer for the convalescent plasma treatment should first register themselves with the department of transfusion medicine via an email on plasmabankpgi@gmail.com, where they will need to mention their mobile number, email id, and the emails of the nodal officers of their respective hospitals.
Thereafter, the nodal officer of the Government and private hospitals should deliver the details of the patient to PGI through email. Once the condition of the patient is checked and the administration of convalescent plasma therapy is approved for the patient by the PGI team, the patient will need to fill a request form. The patient will mandatorily have to mention his or her details along with the patient's sample, declaration form, and the patient's clinical form.
According to a recent media report in HT, it will take approximately three hours to process the request. After the blood group is confirmed, one unit of group-specific convalescent plasma will be issued. It is also informed that the whole plasma therapy will be free of cost for patients who will receive treatment in PGI and other government hospitals in Chandigarh. This special facility will also be available in private hospitals and a minimum cost will be charged from the patient as per the policy of the institution.
Those COVID patients who have recovered and are willing to donate convalescent plasma can contact and fix their appointment for screening and testing with Dr. Suchet Sachdev (7087009487) and Dr. Divjot Singh Lamba (7087003371).
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