Plasma donation same as blood donation: PGIMS Rohtak

ROHTAK: Allaying fears pertaining to plasma donation by treated Covid-19 patients, the PGIMS Rohtak on Monday kick-started an awareness campaign in its premises and said that plasma donation is similar to blood donation without any side effects.
Dr Gajender Singh, head of blood bank department in the premier institute, said the donor patient does not witness any weakness after the donation and the best part is that the blood plasma process is done by machine which takes nearly an hour.
Exhorting the doctors, interns and nursing students participating in the awareness campaign, Dr V K Katyal, senior professor and head of the department of medicine at PGIMS, said they all should spread the word in the public.
Dr Katyal said one of the patients in the institute has been given plasma therapy and there has been significant improvement in his health condition.
He said the awareness drive would result in motivating people to come forward voluntarily so that precious lives can be saved.
The institute also announced to set up a special helpline number so that donors can contact the institute, but those of the patients who have not completed 28 days post their treatment would not be able to donate as per the guidelines.
Notably, doctors at Rohtak PGIMS have started giving convalescence plasma therapy to treat Covid-19 patients admitted at the institute recently.