Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday termed as “encouraging” the limited trial of plasma therapy on patients at a city hospital and appealed to cured coronavirus patients to step forward and donate their plasma to save the lives of serious patients infected by the COVID-19 .
Two of the four patients on whom the trial was conducted at the LNJP Hospital would be shifted out of intensive care three days after they were provided the therapy, he said.
“Ten days ago, we got the go-ahead from the Centre for plasma therapy on very serious COVID-19 patients on a limited basis for trial; we did so on four patients the results of which are encouraging,” Mr. Kejriwal said at a digital briefing.
“Of the four patients, two were in ICU and were given plasma therapy on Tuesday which has improved their condition. They will be shifted out of ICU today,” he said.
Dr. S.K Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences (ILBS) who oversaw the trial, said three more patients would become part of the trial on Friday.
If 10 patients showed signs of recovery due to the therapy, the city could gain a lead in this respect very soon, he said, even as he explained that plasma donation was different from blood donation and could be done within intervals of 10 days.
Mr. Kejriwal said the Delhi government would, over the coming days, apply for an expansion of its ambit of providing plasma therapy to serious coronavirus patients across the city.
“Over the next two to three days, we will conduct more such trials and will then apply for permission with the Centre to allow plasma therapy on serous COVID-19 patients across the city,” he said.
“ I appeal to all those COVID-19 patients who have been cured to step forward; we will make arrangements for you to donate plasma; you can save as many as two lives with one such donation,” he added.
