Arvind Kejriwal urges recovered COVID-19 patients to donate plasma

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said despite the trials for plasma therapy in the treatment of COVID-19 patients showing promise, there are more people requiring plasma than those coming forward to donate. He urged recovered patients to come forward and donate plasma.

"We've also started the country's first corona plasma bank. There is no cure for the coronavirus until the vaccine is developed but our trials have shown that plasma therapy can help moderate patients condition improve significantly," said the Delhi Chief Minister.

"In the last four-five days, there has been an increased demand for plasma but a short supply of it meaning that the number of people who need plasma is more than those coming forward to donate it. If the number of donors does not increase, then the plasma supply will dwindle," Kejriwal added.

He further said that those recovered patients donating plasma would be doing "selfless service to society".

"I urge all those who are eligible to come forward and donate plasma. There is no need to worry as it will neither cause any pain nor any weakness. We have set up the plasma bank at the ILBS which is a non-COVID hospital. Those donating plasma are doing selfless service to society," he said.

Further appealing to the recovered patients to donate plasma, Kejriwal requested the public not to refuse to donate plasma. "Our team is calling up people requesting them to donate plasma if you receive such a call please don't refuse," he said.

He also urged hospitals to give counselling to patients who have recovered from COVID-19 to encourage recovered patients to donate plasma.

"I appeal to all the COVID-speciality hospitals to give counselling to patients who have recovered from the disease to encourage them to donate plasma," he said further.

Kejriwal also shared a sound clipping of two people who had recently recovered from COVID-19 and were willing to donate their plasma. He appreciated them for deciding to donate their plasma as well.

The national capital's COVID-19 cases are nearing the 1-lakh mark with 99,444 coronavirus cases and 3,067 deaths, according to the Union Health ministry. 

-ANI

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