Soni inaugurates India’s 2nd Plasma bank in Punjab; boon for critically ill Corona patients
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in/ Chandigarh
Setting a new benchmark in medical emergency for Critical CORONA patients, Punjab made functional its first Plasma Bank at Rajindra Hospital Patiala Today.
The Plasma Bank dedicated to the Public by Member of Parliament from Patiala and Former State Minister of External Affairs, Preneet Kaur and Cabinet Minister for Medical Education and Research, O P Soni accompanied by Principal Secretary DK Tewari through Video Conferencing in the presence of Mayor Patiala Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, Dr Avnish Kumar Director Medical Education and Research Punjab, Principal Govt Medical College Dr. Harjinder Singh, Civil Surgeon Dr Harish Malhotra, Dr. Paras Pandav Medical Superintendent Rajindra Hospital, Dr. RPS Sibia HOD Medicine,Dr. Rajni Bassi Nodal officer Plasma Bank.
Medical Education and Research Minister O P Soni said that it was a big achievement for state to have its own Plasma Bank with a facility of two machines for the purpose under Mission Fateh. He said that the successful trial of Plasma Therapy had already been done here that paved the way for setting up of Plasma Bank.
Soni said that any person, who was tested COVID positive earlier and now have been declared cured, can donate his/her Plasma here barring co-morbidity patients and pregnant Women. The cured person becomes eligible for donating Plasma after 28 days of declared cured, adding that antibodies start developing after two weeks in human body, infected from CORONA VIRUS.
Terming Plasma Bank, another milestone in treatment of COVID patients who will be in critical stage, he said that Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had been doing his best for preventing the COVID patients from fatality.
He said that earlier in June month, this Government College and Hospital had got a upgraded V R D Lab with a cost of Rs 56 lakh for expanding its current testing capacity of 3000 to 7000 and now state of the art Plasma Bank for saving the lives of Critical Patients.
Patiala MP, Preneet Kaur while participating in the inaugural ceremony through video conferencing, said that today was the historic day for the state especially for Patiala region to serve the critical COVID patients with more commitment. She said that earlier within a record 20 days the VRD Lab infrastructure was upgraded to enhance its testing capacity and today with the functioning of Plasma Bank, state had fulfilled another commitment to its residents in this stage of pandemic. She asked the doctors to provide the facility of Plasma Therapy to the COVID patients with more dedication from now onwards so that even a single fatality could not happen.
Principal Government Medical College Dr. Harjinder Singh briefed that with the guidance from Principal Secretary DK Tiwari and State Nodal Officer for Convalescent Plasma Therapy, Dr. Neelam Marwaha the newly set up Plasma Bank had been equipped with two Plasma Therapy machines besides third one is in waiting. For anti body testing, we have plenty of antibody testing kits with Alisa Reader Machine. Apart from that, a latest and advance version of chemiluminescence’s testing equipment would soon be available here.
Apprising the arrangements for COVID patients, he added that apart from 600 bedded isolation facility with 100 percent oxygen supply at each bed, 54 ventilators have also been installed for critical patients. In coming days, the number of ventilators would be expanded to 100, he further said.
