TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT USES AN 'EXPERIMENTAL CORONA TREATMENT METHOD' THAT CURES 7 PEOPLE AT ONCE! DETAILS

Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijayabaskar inaugurated a plasma bank set up at Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital (RGGGH) on Wednesday. The total cost of the setup is Rs. 2.3 crore. 

It was installed by the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC). The bank will be used to collect and store plasma (fluid component of blood) from patients who have recovered from COVID-19. The Plasma in their blood will contain antibodies which will enable them to fight the virus. 

Soon after the Indian Council for Medical Research approved this treatment, Tamil Nadu was one of the first states to try this experimental treatment method. According to an official release issued on Wednesday, 26 people at RGGGH have undertaken the plasma therapy, out of which, 24 have recovered.

The bank will be collecting and storing enough plasma to give treatment to patients for the next one year. The bank can accommodate seven people at a time and the plasma which is collected in the bank is stored at -40°C.500 ml of plasma will be collected from the recovered patients at a time and one session will last for around 30 minutes. 

The TN govt. Is reaching out to recovered patients as it is also planning to expand this treatment in other government hospitals such as Trichy, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Salem, Omandurar, Stanley Medical College and Dr MGR Medical University in Chennai. 

Recovered patients will be able to donate plasma 14 days after discharge from hospitals or after completion of treatment. The second round of plasma donation can take place after completing the treatment. However, people who have diabetes, hypertension, kidney problems and patients who have undergone transplant surgeries cannot donate plasma.