PGI sets up plasma bank to boost Covid treatment

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 3

Amid growing number of Covid-19 cases, PGI Chandigarh has established a plasma bank in the Department of Transfusion Medicine.   

The move follows the directive of Punjab Governor and UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore.

The plasma bank will cater to the needs of patients admitted in PGI Chandigarh as well as other government and private hospitals of the city on a first come first serve basis, stated a PGI release.   

As per a committee formed by the Director PGI in this regard, convalescent plasma (Covid-19) will be issued exclusively based on the ICMR guidelines for its off-label use.

The request form must contain information on the clinical condition of the patient and severity of disease as per the ICMR treatment guidelines, the panel stated.

The committee has further recommended that government and private hospitals in Chandigarh, desirous of using convalescent plasma treatment, should register with Department of Transfusion Medicine, PGIMER Chandigarh.

The release further read that the nodal officers of the government and private hospitals will send the patient details to PGI through e-mail (plasmabankpgi@gmail.com).

Once clinical indication for transfusion of convalescent plasma is approved by the PGI team, patient attendants can submit request form along with patient’s sample, declaration form and patient’s clinical form at PGI (Room No. 3056, 3RD floor service B-block, Nehru Hospital).

A minimum of three hours would be required to process the request following all Covid-19 precautions.

After confirmation of the blood group of the patient, one unit (200ml) of group specific convalescent plasma will be issued.

Convalescent plasma will be issued free of cost to patients admitted in PGIMER and other government hospitals in Chandigarh. However, for private hospitals, a minimum processing charge would be levied.

Plasma bank committee, PGI Chandigarh, has recommended that nodal officers of hospitals outside PGI, should share a list of Covid-19 recovered patients discharged from their hospitals with Department of Transfusion Medicine, PGIMER, and motivate them for plasma donation in PGI, Chandigarh.

Recovered patients, who are willing to donate convalescent plasma, can contact Dr Suchet Sachdev (7087009487) and Dr Divjot Singh Lamba (7087003371) and fix their appointment for screening and testing.