In a major setback to Madhya Pradesh and other states, the union health ministry has declined that it has recommended plasma therapy for treatment of Covid patients. The ministry also denied that it is considering proposal to set up plasma banks.
"States, however, with a view to ensure availability of plasma, in case needed, have taken initiative to establish such banks. No central database of such banks is maintained at central government level,” ministry said in a recent statement.
The states have taken initiative to establish such banks to provide convalescent plasma therapy to Covid-19 patients but no central database of such banks is maintained.
Gandhi Medical College administration defended its stand for administering plasma therapy stating it continued with the practice following advisory of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and not the central government.
Convalescent plasma therapy has been included in the Clinical Management Protocol for Covid-19 as an investigational therapy for use in a defined subgroup of patients.
The use of this therapy may be considered in patients with moderate disease who show no signs of improvement by use of other mainstay therapies like oxygen supplementation, steroids etc.
We’ll follow ICMR: ACS
Additional chief secretary (health) Mohammed Suleman said ICMR says that plasma therapy is an experimental therapy. “They are the final word,” he added.
‘Plasma therapy scientific’
Hamidia Hospital medical superintendent Dr ID Chaurasia said Gandhi Medical College continued plasma therapy after ICMR advisory. We are working on directives of ICMR, which works on scientific basis and not government directives.
