'Plasma Therapy trials on COVID patients encouraging; give hope,' says Delhi CM Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a video conference on Friday addressed a press briefing on the initial positive results of the use of plasma treatment for COVID-19 patients. Kejriwal said that in the last few days, they have tried plasma therapy on 4 patients at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, and till now the results are encouraging. Delhi started plasma therapy trials for coronavirus infected patients on Tuesday and two people received the treatment.

Speaking at the presser Kejriwal said, "The Central Government had given us permission to use plasma therapy to the serious patients of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital and looking at their results the Centre we will approve it all over Delhi. The startling result is very encouraging. In the last few days, we have tried plasma therapy on 4 patients at LNJPN Hospital. Till now the results are satisfactory."

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Further Dr. SK Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver & Biliary Science said, "We are happy with the positive results in the 4 patients. Blood & plasma is ready for 2-3 other patients that we have at LNJP hospital, we may give them the plasma therapy today. At this time, we need those people who have recovered from COVID-19 and are at their homes. We need them to show their patriotism and donate blood plasma

Earlier, Delhi's Max Hospital on Monday had revealed that their first patient administered with Plasma Therapy on compassionate grounds, has shown positive results. The hospital has stated that the patient, a 49-year-old male, was recently weaned off ventilator support. They added that the patient had tested positive on April 4 and then developed pneumonia with Type I respiratory failure on April 8. 

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Speaking exclusively to Republic TV, Group Medical Director of Max Hospital Dr Sandeep Budhiraja apprised about the condition of the patient and further narrated the protocol of the therapy.

"The patient was treated as per standard protocol, the situation kept deteriorating and he suffered from respiratory failure. He was put on a ventilator. On the request from the patients family, we took exceptional approval on the compassionate ground from the ethics committee," said Dr. Budhiraja.

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ICMR on Plasma therapy

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has stated that plasma therapy can only be used for clinical trials and not for treatment as such. Several governments like Kerala, Delhi, Maharashtra have already received permission from the Centre to start plasma therapy on critical patients, by administering plasma donated by a cured patient on a COVID-19 critical patient to battle the virus affecting the patient. On Friday, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation issued a NOC to all states, allowing convalescent plasma trials under ICMR guidelines.

What is plasma therapy?

Convalescent Plasma Therapy is an experimental procedure to treat COVID-19 infection. In this treatment method, plasma from a COVID patient who has fully recovered is transfused into a coronavirus patient with critical condition. It is aimed at assessing the efficacy of convalescent plasma to limit complications in COVID-19 patients.

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