Following complaints that many hospitals that are authorised to have plasma banks are collecting charges arbitrarily, the State Health Department on Saturday fixed ₹7,500 for every unit of plasma.
An order to this effect was issued on Saturday by Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare).
The authorised plasma banks can collect the amount towards processing the plasma, the order stated.
HCG Plasma Bank
U.S. Vishal Rao, who heads HCG Plasma Bank set up in association with the State government, said the bank was charging ₹9,500 per unit that includes antibody testing of the patient.
“We have given plasma to over 750 patients so far from our bank and have recorded 60% recovery rate,” he said.
However, the charges in some hospitals range between ₹9,000 and ₹11,500, he said.
9,886 new cases
Meanwhile, the State on Saturday reported 9,886 new COVI-19 cases taking the total number of cases to 6,30,516. With 100 deaths, the toll rose to 9,219. This is apart from 19 non-COVID-19 deaths.
As many as 8,989 persons were discharged on Saturday taking the total number of recoveries to 5,08,495. Active cases continued to remain over a lakh (1,12,783).
Of these, 841 patients are being monitored in the Intensive Care Units.
Bengaluru Urban reported 3,925 cases taking the tally to 2,45,700. With 21 of the 100 deaths from Bengaluru, the toll in this district rose to 3,045.
As many as 84,922 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, including 36,514 rapid antigen tests. With this, the total number of tests rose to 51,74,652.