GRH sanitary worker is the 1st COVID-19 plasma donor in Madurai

MADURAI: A 36-year-old sanitary worker at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) who recovered from COVID-19 last month became the first plasma donor in South Tamil Nadu for the convalescent plasma therapy clinical trial. 

Earlier on May 8, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approved 28 institutions across the country to conduct Convalescent Plasma to Limit COVID-19 Associated Complications in Moderate Disease (PLACID) Trial. In Tamil Nadu, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (Chennai), GRH in Madurai, Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH) and Christian Medical College (Vellore) were approved to conduct the clinical trial. 

According to sources at Tamil Nadu State Blood Transfusion Council, the clinical trial is part of an ICMR-approved study that would ascertain if convalescent plasma therapy is an effective treatment for patients exhibiting moderate symptoms of COVID-19, after submission of a detailed report in six months. Only COVID-19 patients who exhibited mild symptoms during the time of infection can participate in the clinical trial after recovery, thus making very few donors eligible, added they. Earlier on May 11, a man donated plasma for the PLACID trial at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital becoming Tamil Nadu's first plasma donor for the clinical trial. 

GRH Dean Dr J Sangumani said that after careful consideration of 45 persons who recovered from COVID-19, six persons were narrowed down and were contacted through telephone earlier this week. Of them, the 36-year-old (contractual) sanitary worker at the hospital who tested positive for COVID-19 on April 14 consented for plasma donation. Notably, the worker was tested for COVID-19 after he developed fever, about a after he helped clean the old COVID-19 ward at the time it was being shifted from the old CEmONC block to the Superspeciality Block. After recovery, he was discharged on April 26 and is yet to return to work. 

Speaking to TNIE, the worker, who was the first sanitary worker in South Tamil Nadu to test positive for COVID-19 said, "I was told by the hospital staff that my plasma could potentially help COVID-19 patients recover from the infection. I agreed to donate as I could help save atleast two lives. Having been a patient myself, I know what the ordeal faced due to the disease." 

Dean added that the worker who had completed 14 days since recovery (accompanied by two negative RT-PCR results) gave his blood samples at the hospital's blood bank on Monday for pre-donation screening and tests. After he was found to be eligible, he returned to the hospital and donated 500 ml of plasma on May 12 that was obtained through the process of plasmapheresis, as per the protocol. The donated plasma can be stored for a year and unlike a blood donor, a plasma donor can donate again after a period of 2 weeks, added Sangumani. 

Although there is no COVID-19 patient who would be an eligible recipient presently at GRH, plasma donation would still be encouraged due to the shelf life of plasma and keeping in mind the future requirement in case of a sudden spur in COVID-19 patients.