BHUBANESWAR: After initial success of convalescent plasma therapy, Odisha Government has now planned to focus more on setting up plasma banks in regions having significant number of Covid-19 cases.While the first plasma bank is functional at SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack, it has been decided to have four more plasma banks in the State soon.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday approved the proposals to set up plasma banks at MKCG Medical College and Hospital at Berhampur, VIMSAR at Burla, IGH at Rourkela and Capital Hospital at Bhubaneswar.
Additional Chief Secretary of Health department PK Mohapatra said along with the containment strategy, the focus is on reducing fatalities and ensuring that patients do not die due to lack of treatment. “People should not be worried about rising infection. The main indicator is fatality rate. At 0.54 per cent, the State is among the lowest in the country. Still we want to reduce it further,” he said.
As the Government has intensified its drive to encourage recovered persons to donate plasma, Mohapatra said infrastructure needs to be ramped up to store and make plasma available to patients on time.
Of the 13 patients undergone the therapy, while one was discharged, the rest are recovering and expected to be discharged from hospitals soon. All three patients treated with plasma at Tata Covid Hospital in worst-hit Ganjam district have responded well.