NEW DELHI: Women members of Tablighi Jamaat, who have recovered from coronavirus infection and are staying at a quarantine facility in Narela, donated plasma on Thursday, which is to be used for the treatment of other COVID patients admitted in hospitals.
Delhi government officials, privy to the development, said several international Tablighis who have recovered at Narela and Sultanpuri centers had also volunteered for plasma donation. However, the administration didn’t permit the same.
“Seven members of mastooraat jamaat (the group’s women wing) have already donated plasma on Thursday and more are expected on Friday. All of them are from south Indian states,” said a volunteer, appointed by the district administration for facilitating plasma donation, at the Narela facility.
To encourage recovered patients for plasma extraction, the government has roped in Jamaat volunteers, who help it in donation and coordination. According to Dr. Mohmmad Shoaib Ali, who is coordinating plasma collection on behalf of the health department of the Delhi government, about 100 Jamaatis have donated plasma, the liquid component of blood, which comprises antibodies to fight against the virus.
“Several foreign Tablighis from Malaysia, Algeria, Fiji, and other countries have registered themselves but we are not accepting their plasma,” said Dr Ali. Plasma collection at Sultanpuri center has been stalled for two days as test reports of several donors haven’t been released yet.
“According to the protocol, a recovered patient – after two consecutive negative tests and completing two weeks under quarantine – can donate plasma for the convalescent plasma therapy, which is used for the treatment of others. Reports of several are still awaited hence operation at Sultanpuri has currently been stopped,”Dr. Ali added.