plasma therapy
Credits: Deccan Herald

The coronavirus pandemic has caused massive chaos all around the world.

From an unforeseen number of deaths to an unstable economic crisis, the virus has done it all.

As the world desperately tries to find a vaccine for the virus, Pakistan is opting for plasma therapy.

Plasma Therapy gets a Go-Ahead

covid19 treatment
Credits: Deccan Herald

In May, the government of Pakistan permitted the clinical trial of passive immunization.

Soon, doctors and researchers became successful in plasma therapy proved to be successful.

“Alhamdulillah, (by the grace of God), the first coronavirus patient treated through passive immunization has recovered and discharged from the hospital,” Dr. Tahir Shamis, head of the National Institute of Blood Diseases, told Anadolu Agency.

The doctor further said that other patients are also going through the trial and that the aim is to cure 350 patients with this method.

What is Plasma Therapy?

Plasma therapy is an experimental treatment that some doctors are using to treat Covid-19 patients.

How Does it Work?

Recovered patients develop antibodies in their body, which is a protein that the body uses to fight off infections. Researchers use those antibodies from recovered patients and donate them to improving patients to help them fight the virus.

Is it the Cure for Coronavirus?

plasma therapy for coronavirus
Credits: Deccan Herald

“Let me make it very clear that it’s a successful clinical trial only. We cannot declare it an approved treatment for the novel virus at this stage,” said Shamsi, the head of the team of hematologists who are in charge of the clinical trials.

Where can Treated Patients Donate Their Plasma?

Dr. Zafar Mirza, the State Minister of Health of Pakistan, has shared an official tweet from his account with a list of centers where plasma can be donated.

He tweets:

Govt allowed sometime ago a clinical trial on plasma therapy, which is yielding encouraging results according to the investigators. COVID-19 recovered patients can donate plasma at the following centers:

  1. Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad
  2. Rawalpindi Medical University (RMU), Rawalpindi
  3. Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), Peshawar
  4. Khwaja Safdar Medical College Hospital (KSMCH), Sialkot
  5. University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore
  6. Pakistan Kidney Liver Institute (PKLI), Lahore
  7. Regional Blood Center (RBS), Sukkur
  8. People’s University of Medical & Health Sciences (PUMHS), Nawabshah

In another tweet, Dr. Mirza mentions that:

Clinical Trials are being undertaken by the National Institute of Blood Disease & Bone Marrow, Karachi. Recovered patients from Karachi can donate plasma by contacting NIBD.

As of now, total coronavirus cases in Pakistan have exceeded over 113,000 with Punjab having the most cases, followed by Sindh.

In a letter to the Punjab Health Minister, the World Health Organization has suggested a further 2-week lockdown to help bring the situation under control.

We now have to see how the government wishes to proceed further with the growing number of cases.

Stay tuned to Brandsynario.