BHUBANESWAR/CUTTACK: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday inaugurated the COVID-19 plasma bank at the SCB Medical College in Cuttack for treatment of serious patients. Reiterating the State Government’s commitment to provide advanced medical care and treatment, the Chief Minister announced that plasma therapy will be made available free of cost to people of the State. Odisha has now joined a select club of states to have introduced convalescent plasma therapy for the treatment of serious COVID-19 patients. Odisha is the third besides Delhi and Maharashtra to have started the procedure.
The Chief Minister also assured that the Government is committed to provide highest standards of medical care and treatment to people. “No person in Odisha would be deprived of access to the latest medical technology. This is the solemn commitment of this Government,” he said. Appreciating the work of the frontline warriors, the Chief Minister said doctors and medical personnel are working hard to provide their best in serving the people in these difficult times. “We need to encourage and boost their morale,”he said. Naveen congratulated the four donors who volunteered to contribute their plasma and appealed to all eligible Covid survivors to come forward to donate plasma which will go a long way in the treatment of serious patients. Pankaj Kumar Behera, Chid Bhusan Panda, Manoj Kumar Baral and Abinash Rout were the first four plasma donors of Odisha.
Twelve more cured Covid patients including Salepur MLA Prasanta Behera have also come forward to join the mission and donate their plasma. While SCB Medical College will be the nodal agency for plasma therapy, the SUM Hospital, KIIMS Hospital in Bhubaneswar and Ashwini Hospital, Cuttack would provide plasma the rapy treatment.