Coronavirus: NIBD head appeals to recovered patients to donate plasma

Dr Tahir Shamsi , the head of National Institute of Blood Disease & Bone Marrow Transplantation (NIBD & BMT) on Wednesday urged patients who have recovered from the coronavirus to donate their plasma so that other patients can be treated, reported Geo  News. 

“We are trying to treat coronavirus without medicine,” Dr Shamsi said.

“Till now we have given plasma to more than 200 patients in the country. Those who were in a critical condition and were given plasma, showed signs of getting better,” he said.

Dr Shamsi added that the availability of plasma was a huge concern for them. “We do not have the facilities to collect plasma. Those who are donating plasma are not listening to us. We are appealing for the sake of humanity but we are not getting a response from them,” the doctor lamented.

The doctor further shared that 80% of those infected with the virus were not shifted on to a ventilator because of the plasma. “Every recovered patient can donate its plasma,” he said.

The doctor added that two patients can be treated with the plasma of one person which can be made in two to three days again.

“I appeal to those who have recovered to donate plasma,” Dr Shamsi added.

Convalescent plasma is taken from the blood of patients who have already recovered from the disease; in this case, COVID-19. It is rich in antibodies and can help other patients recover faster if it is administered properly and in the right circumstances.

Recovered patients in the country can donate their plasma at the following centres in the country.

• Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad
• Rawalpindi Medical University
• Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar
• Khwaja Safdar Medical College Hospital in Sialkot
• University of Health Sciences in Lahore
• Pakistan Kidney Liver Institute in Lahore
• Regional Blood Centre Sukkur
• People’s University of Medical and Health Sciences in Nawabshah