Navi Mumbai: NMMC urges people to donate plasma amid rising COVID-19 cases; appoints nodal officer

With the rise of COVID 19 cases in the city, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has appealed to citizens to donate plasma. The civic body has also appointed a nodal officer and a helpline number to facilitate the process.

Dr. Preeti Sangani, the newly appointed nodal officer will focus on plasma donation and awareness along with the monitoring. While appointing a nodal officer, Abhijit Bangar, the municipal commissioner said that a number of examples show that plasma therapy is very beneficial to the treatment of coronavirus, adding that it was similar to blood donation.

A senior official from the civic health department shared more details about the same. "Plasma is extracted from the blood. And the plasma extracted from the blood of people who had tested COVID-19 positive and then recovered is useful in the treatment of other COVID-19 patients. Plasma increases their antibodies and helps to reduce the severity of the virus by boosting the immune system. Plasma is of great importance when given to the right patient at the right time. Therefore, plasma donation is as great as blood donation," said the official.

He added that plasma can be donated to individuals over 18 years of age and those who have been cured of COVID-19, under 60 years of age. This is a very safe and simple method and can be of great help in protecting a person's health.

Meanwhile, civic chief Bangar appealed that citizens who recovered from COVID and elapsed 28 days, should come forward and take initiative to donate plasma and contribute to the health protection of other citizens.

Now, anyone wants to donate plasma can contact Dr. Preeti Sangani, the nodal officer at the helpline number 022-27567460.