Punjab govt to provide free plasma to COVID-19 patients in need

Amid spiralling COVID infections and deaths, Punjab government on Thursday announced that the plasma will be provided free of cost to all the COVID-19 patients who are in need.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed the Health Department to strictly ensure that COVID patients are not charged for plasma therapy and that nobody is allowed to buy or sell plasma.

Plasma therapy has been proven a life-saver in many cases in the absence of any cure for Coronavirus.

Appealing to the recovered COVID patients, Chief Minister requested them to come forward to save the lives of others. He urged District Collectors and Health Department officials to motivate such patients to donate plasma, during a COVID management review meeting.

Currently, there are around 10,000 recovered COVID patients in the state, he said adding that his government's priority was to save each and every life in Punjab.

He also asked the Health Department to expedite setting up of two new Plasma Banks at Amritsar and Faridkot, to supplement the one already operational in Patiala. He was informed by Minister OP Soni that the approvals for the new banks had already been received and tenders were being floated for procurement of equipment.

Expressing concern over the increasing number of cases in the state, Captain Amarinder also asked Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu to send a viable proposal for earmarking 10 beds in all the district hospitals for treatment and care of mild/minor cases of infection. The Health Minister had earlier proposed such dedicated facility in all the civil hospitals of the state, stated the press release.

( With inputs from ANI )