KATHMANDU: The government is making preparations for the treatment of the coronavirus-infected critical patients by transfusing the plasma of the infection-recovered persons.

In this connection, the state-owned National Health Research Council (NHRC) has urged the people who recovered from the coronavirus to volunteer to donate their plasma.

Council chief Research Officer Dr. Meghnath Dhimal shared that preparation was underway to take out anti-body produced inside the body of the corona-recovered persons and transfuse it to the critically-infected patients.

“International research has proved that the critical patients could be saved with the transfusion of convalescent plasma from the recovered people”, he said, adding, “We have also obtained approval from the government and called for the corona-recovered people to donate plasma to save the lives of the patients in critical stage”.

The plasma donation is like blood donation, he informed. Necessary coordination is being made with the hospitals treating the critically-infected patients for the same, Dhimal further said.

He shared that preparation was underway to provide treatment to the patients in collaboration with 15-16 well-equipped COVID dedicated hospitals.

“Plasma will be transferred to those who are undergoing treatment at ICU and under ventilator support,” he said.

It may be noted that Prasiddi Shrestha, who won her battle against coronavirus and got discharged from Teku-based Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital last April, had announced providing her plasma for the treatment of infected patients reaching to the critical stage.

Various countries including the United States are also providing treatment to the critically-infected coronavirus patients by supplying plasma after deriving it from infection-free people.

The idea is that the antibodies developed by recovered patients might strengthen the immune system of new patients. RSS