Pune is facing a shortage of convalescent blood plasma. There are six designated blood banks for providing plasma to COVID-19 patients in Pune district but they hardly have a stock of 62 units of 200 ml each of plasma as on July 30.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pune's Drug Division Joint Commissioner Suresh Patil, a patient needs one to two units of 200 ml plasma. Hence, the available units of convalescent blood plasma are very less in comparison to the active COVID-19 cases.
Now, Pune Divisional Commissioner Office has launched a website for plasma donors and recipients. puneplasma.in has been established by the efforts of Divisional Commissioner Dr Deepak Mhaisekar and Pune Police Commissioner Dr K Venkatesham. It has been developed by Pallav Bajjuri Kahaniya and Krishna Yedula, General Secretary, Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC).
The patients who have fully recovered from COVID-19 can donate plasma and help others currently fighting the infection. "Because you fought the infection, your plasma now contains COVID-19 antibodies. These antibodies provided one way for your immune system to fight the virus when you were sick, so your plasma may be able to be used to help others fight off the disease," reads the website.
Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 cases in Pune city reached 54,255 after 818 people were detected with coronavirus infection in the last 24 hours, an official said on Friday. The death toll increased by 28 to touch 1,312, he added.
During the day, 1,185 people were discharged after recovery, the official informed.
