Ten people who recently recovered from COVID-19 donated their plasma to the newly-established 'plasma bank' at a state-run facility here on Thursday, sources said.
Delhi Chief Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday inaugurated a first-of-its-kind 'plasma bank' at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) in Vasant Kunj in south Delhi.
"On the first day of its opening, 10 people donated plasma to the bank. And we are hopeful the numbers will multiply gradually," said an official source. About 5-6 staff members of ILBS and others from outside, who have recovered from COVID-19 recently, donated plasma, he said.
Besides, plasma was donated to three patients, one each at three private hospitals here, sources said.
Kejriwal interacted with ILBS doctors and the staff who donated plasma in the standalone donating area set up on the second floor of the ILBS building, a senior official said. The sources said about 90 staff at ILBS have tested positive till date.
The senior official said the Delhi government is trying to incentivise donors by "reimbursing their travel cost between home and ILBS, to and fro".
Asked about an ILBS standard operating procedure (SOP) document circulating on social media, which purportedly mentions that private and corporate hospitals would have to pay Rs 25,000 for the service, the senior official said, "It was an old SOP, and had a clerical mistake, which had been rectified. No charge will be taken from any hospital, private or government."
Kejriwal after visiting the plasma bank facility at ILBS said it will succeed only if people who have recovered come forward and donate.
"Today, we have started the 'plasma bank' and some people have also donated. As we all know there is no vaccine for novel coronavirus yet, but plasma therapy seems to be quite helpful for COVID patients," he said.
Delhi recorded 2,373 fresh coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking the tally in the city to over 92,000-mark, while the death toll from the disease mounted to 2,864, authorities said.
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