Assam Health Minister inaugurates week-long plasma donation drive

Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday inaugurated 'Lohitanjali', a week-long plasma donation drive at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital in Assam.

The drive was organized by the Junior Doctors' Association along with the National Health Mission (NHM) Assam.

"Several junior doctors and jawans in the Assam Rifles had contracted the virus. Many have recovered and are now coming to donate plasma. Assam is reporting about 2,500 new cases so I am very grateful to these youngsters for their initiative," Sharma told ANI.

Dr Kumar Jyoti Deka, a member of the Junior Doctors Association, said plasma therapy had become quite effective in treating coronavirus patients with moderate symtoms.

"Plasma therapy has become quite effective in the treatment of milder cases. We have all come out here today to spread awareness about plasma donation and to encourage more people to come out," Deka said.

"I have come here with my fellow jawans to donate plasma after recovering from COVID-19. I commend this initiative by the young doctors and the government and am excited to be a part of this drive. It will make us very glad if our small donation saves even one life," Pankaj Chhetri, a jawan from the Assam Rifles said, adding that he was accompanied by 13 other jawans.

With 2,265 new COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, Assam now has a total of 29,166 active cases.

The state has witnessed 1,03,504 recoveries and 396 deaths due to COVID-19.