45% of Pune division’s plasma donors from PCMC - Hindustan Times
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45% of Pune division’s plasma donors from PCMC

Hindustan Times, Pune | BySteffy Thevar
Aug 30, 2020 04:28 PM IST

To reduce the number of deaths due to Covid-19, people can register at 9960530329 on Whatsapp. One plasma donor can save two lives and so people should come forward and do this noble deed

At least 45 per cent of Pune division’s plasma donors, which includes Sangli, Kolhapur, Solapur and Satara districts, are from Pimpri-Chichwad. Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has alone contributed 266 donors of the 593 total donors at 11 blood banks in the division, as of August 28.

PCMC has only two hospitals registered for plasma donations, but still has been leading the way in encouraging more donors.(Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)
PCMC has only two hospitals registered for plasma donations, but still has been leading the way in encouraging more donors.(Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

PCMC has only two hospitals registered for plasma donations, but still has been leading the way in encouraging more donors. The initial response of donors in the industrial township, according to officials, was overwhelming, so much so that the administration fell short of plasma collection kits.

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While PCMC has 33,893 discharged patients after they were declared as cured, Pune city has more than double, 73,527 discharged people, but has seen less than half the number of plasma donors. Pune city has about eight blood banks which have received 286 donors.

Dr Rajendra Wable, Yashwantrao Chavan Medical Hospital, dean, said, “There is no particular reason as to why donors are coming forward in PCMC, but social media groups have played a major role in spreading awareness. Through social media, people are coming in touch with donors and recipients. Sometimes relatives of the patients come to us along with donors. We are also starting the process of self declaration and willingness form from the recovered patients to respond positively in case they are called for the same. We even provide the plasma to private hospitals at a nominal cost.”

Project platina by the state government encourages Covid-19 recovered patients to donate plasma for the treatment of active critical patients, but it hasn’t seen a good response in Pune city. Pune police commissioner K Venkatesham has appealed to the people to come forward and donate plasma. At a felicitation programme to honor plasma donors on Saturday, Venkatesham, said, “To reduce the number of deaths due to Covid-19, people can register at 9960530329 on Whatsapp. One plasma donor can save two lives and so people should come forward and do this noble deed.”

The district administration has also started a website, https://puneplasma.in wherein donors can register and donate and people in need of plasma can come forward for the same.

Pune collector Rajesh Deshmukh, said, “It is not clear as to why people are not coming forward as there are no complaints of dizziness or weakness among those who donate blood for plasma. We appeal to people to come forward and donate their blood.”

Dr Avinash Bhondwe, President of Indian Medical Association (IMA), Maharashtra chapter, said, “There is no awareness among the people and the administration should work on that. Local politicians must also encourage people in their area to come forward and donate in huge numbers.

We do not see a good response among people even for a routine blood donation and in case of plasma from those who have recovered, fear is a contributing factor. Plasmapheresis has been found to be as effective as remdesivir and so people should be made aware of its benefits. If plasma therapy is given at an early stage, it can prove to be effective.”

PCMC has reported a total of 46,516 progressive positive cases and 852 deaths as of Saturday.

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