NEW DELHI: Often blamed for the spike of corona cases in Delhi, many Tablighi Jamaatis are ready to donate plasma with at least 10 members, who have recovered, already doing it for helping the virus-affected patients admitted in various city hospitals.
On Sunday, teams from Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), which handles collection of plasma, collected four units from Narela quarantine facility and six from an isolation centre in Sultanpuri. The ILBS has three teams for plasma collection from isolation centre attached to a quarantine facility. If required, donors can be taken to ILBS for extraction, said a sub-divisional magistrate.
“Due to Ramzaan, the plasma collection begins in the evening after they break their fast. Today, 40 donations are scheduled at Narela and Sultanpuri facilities. It is time consuming process, which may continue past midnight,” said a government official.
Over 200 Tablighis, put up at various quarantine facilities in Delhi, agreed to donate plasma after head of the religious group head Maulana Muhammad Saad issued an appeal through an audio message.In March last week, over 2,300 Tablighis were evacuated from its headquarters at Delhi’s Nizamuddin Basti area. With 1,080 of them testing positive for COVID-19, they were put under quarantine at different locations.
A Tablighi, who is quarantined at Sultanpuri and is now facilitating administration as a volunteer, said several of his colleagues came forward to donate plasma after the call given by the maulana.
“We are following his request and decided to volunteer our services for the protection of mankind. On Sunday, 20 of our members had registered themselves for donation. However, only 10 were found to be medically fit for plasma extraction,” he said.
Mohammad Umar (name changed), who reached the Narela collection centre on Sunday, said he had willingly given plasma following the advice of the Maulana. “I was brought here on March 31 and tested positive. But I have recovered. I am giving plasma for others, who are under treatment. I have been told that this helps others in recovery,” he said.
Four District Magistrates said plasma collection could start at Narela and Sultanpuri only as Tablighis at other locations are still yet to fully recover from the infection.
Rules for donation
A recovered patient — after two consecutive negative tests and completing two weeks of quarantine — can donate for convalescent plasma therapy, which is used for treatment with certain conditions as stipulated by government