COVID: Assam govt announces big plan on plasma bank, special benefits for donors

A virtual plasma bank will soon be ready in Assam. The state government is making an extensive plan to make plasma available for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, with six collection centers in Silchar, Diphu, Dibrugarh, Tezpur, Barpeta, Jorhat and one in Guwahati. Speaking to the media in Guwahati on Thursday, State's Health Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the department is planning an extensive campaign to encourage plasma donation from July 18. 

Lauding the doctors of the State for volunteering plasma donation, he said, "Our doctors have set an example for humanity. They treated COVID patients wearing PPE suits, got infected themselves, and now after recovering, they are donating their plasma for others." 

Dr. Sarma further said that in order to encourage people from other states where there is no plasma bank yet, the state government will run a national campaign for plasma donation. "We will make an appeal to the people of other states, where there is no plasma bank, to come to Assam and donate plasma. They will be accorded state guest facility," he said. 

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'Plasma donors will get special benefits'

The State government will bear the airfare of the plasma donors from other states and also take care of their entire hospitality. "As plasma donation can be done within 3 months only, we are rolling out this initiative," Dr. Sarma said. The state government has also announced special future benefits for the plasma donors. 

"Plasma donors will get special benefits in the future. A certificate and a letter will be given on my letterhead to them for their contribution. In the future the plasma donors will get preference in various government schemes and jobs," he said. 

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The health minister further said that the plasma bank will be virtual and whenever required, plasma from the collection centers will be dispatched to the place of requirement. The state government is planning to roll out the plasma collection centers by next week. The decision of the state government came after plasma therapy showed positive results in Assam.

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(Image credits: PTI)