HUBBALLI: A doctor from Gadag has been educating and convincing those who have recovered from Covid-19 to donate their plasma. Till now, she has managed to convince more than 10 patients. When she’s not at work, Dr. Shwetha Prakash Sankanur of Chirayu Hospital in Gadag makes phone calls to recovered COVID patients and speaks to them about the importance of plasma donation.
“People in Bengaluru are coming forward to donate. Even in Hubballi, the response is good, but when it comes to other parts of North Karnataka, it is very difficult to find donors. Due to the lack of awareness, people are not coming forward to donate. There is a need to create awareness among the public. Doctors and various organizations should come forward to educate them, she said.
She said that usually, people make excuses such as they aren’t sure about their blood group, or that plasma donation might make them weak. “We make 10-15 phone calls, and at least one person agrees to donate,” she added. “There is no facility in Gadag to separate plasma from the donor’s blood. Therefore, if a person comes forward to donate, his/her antibody test will be done in Gadag. If he/she is eligible, then the Covid patient’s attenders take the donor to Hubballi to get the process done,” Dr Shwetha said.