Plasma Bank starts functioning in Lucknow's King George's Medical University

The "Plasma Bank" has started functioning from the King George's Medical University (KGMU) here, officials said on Monday.

The Plasma Bank is located inside the Centenary building of the KGMU. So far, 45 patients who have recovered from COVID-19 have donated their plasma to the bank, while plasma has been given to 25 patients.

"This is the first plasma bank of Uttar Pradesh and it can collect 830 units of plasma -- the highest in the country. There are facilities in the bank to preserve the plasma. The plasma preserved in the bank can be given to the patients undergoing treatment in other districts of the state, if needed," the head of KGMU's blood transfusion department, Dr Tulika Chandra, told PTI.

She said 120 people can donate plasma in a day. "It takes around an hour to collect plasma from a person. The plasma can be preserved for a year in a deep freezer," she added.

"Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 should come forward and donate their plasma, so that the lives of others could be saved. They can donate plasma 14 days after the date of their discharge," Chandra said.