To facilitate plasma donation for critically-ill Covid-19 patients, Viqaya (the emergency response and social service wing of Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation), has launched an exclusive forum of plasma donors in Dakshina Kannada district.
Already, 64 units of plasma have been donated by members of the forum.
One of the donors had travelled to Bengaluru to donate plasma, said Thajuddin Tarly, district in-charge of SKSSF Viqaya Blood Donors Forum to DH.
Elaborating about the forum, Viqaya in association with K S Hegde Medical Academy had conducted camps at Kaikamba, Bengre and Aranthodu.
Once all the tests match plasma donation criteria, the reports and contacts of identified donors are handed over to a medical college hospital.
All covid survivors cannot donate plasma. Those who are suffering from BP, diabetes get rejected from donating plasma, he added.
It is for the first time that a plasma donor’s forum was created by SKSSF Viqaya Blood Donors Forum in Dakshina Kannada district, he said.
Viqaya Blood Donors Forum had conducted many blood donation camps from August 19 to October 2. When the demand for plasma increased, we decided to identify plasma donors along with blood donation camps, said Thajuddin.
Technical experts from K S Hegde Medical Academy, where plasma therapy is being carried out on Covid-19 infected, collect samples and the data of donors.
Later, they contact donors depending on the requirement for plasma.
“We take donors to the hospital for plasma donation. A few in our forum have donated plasma two to three times. Along with creating awareness on blood donation, we have been creating awareness on plasma donation among our members to save the lives of critically-ill patients,” said Thajuddin Tarly.
“We are also in touch with Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V, who in turn has asked our forum members to donate plasma when plasma therapy begins at Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru. We are also in touch with Wellness Helpline, who have been creating awareness about plasma donation. If plasma therapy begins at Wenlock Hospital, then it will benefit many critically-ill poor patients,” he added.