Plasma therapy begins in Nawabshah

By Rashid Zia Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Sindh government has started the facility of treatment of coronavirus (COVID-19) affected patients through plasma therapy at Nawabshah, it was disclosed by the Commissioner of Shaheed Benazirabad Division, Syed Mohsin Ali Shah, on June 24.

He revealed that a team headed by the Chairman of the National Institute of Blood Diseases Karachi, Dr Tahir Shamsi, will be working in collaboration with the Peoples Medical University Hospital to treat the COVID-19 affected patients through plasma therapy. 

Dr Tahir Shamsi, who was also present on the occasion, expressed the confidence that score of lives of the COVID-19 affected patients could be saved by plasma therapy. 

Speaking at the inauguration at Regional Blood Center, the Commissioner informed that the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority had donated the plasma collecting machine. 

He described it as an excellent initiative of the provincial government which, he hoped, would help recover the COVID-19 affected patients of Shaheed Benazirabad Division. 

He declared that Abbas Ali Arain of Bhiria Road town, who has completely recovered from coronavirus, was the first person to donate plasma. He recognized and praised him for donating plasma. 

Commissioner Mohsin Shah also appealed to other coronavirus recovered persons to step ahead and donate plasma to save the lives of their brothers and sisters as precious lives could be saved in this pandemic situation. 

Dr Tahir Shamsi, Chairman, National Institute of Blood Diseases Karachi, remarked that the recovery success of coronavirus affected patients through plasma therapy was 92% and any person having recovered from the virus could donate plasma four times a week with proper intervals. 

According to him a litre of plasma can be administered to two patients and healthy recovered persons should donate plasma generously in war against coronavirus. 

The Vice Chancellor of the Peoples Medical University, Prof Dr Gulshan Ali Memon, and the District Health Officer, Dr Asif Raza Brohi, besides other officials were also present on the occasion. 

Later the Commissioner took a round of different departments of the Regional Blood Centre and he was appreciative of its working, assuring them of full cooperation from his office.