By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, July 28, 2020: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday inaugurated the Plasma Bank at Capital Hospital here and launched a web portal for plasma donors.

“More Plasma banks will also come up at IGH, Rourkela, VIMSAR, Burla, and MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur”, the chief minister said.

Patnaik expressed happiness over the encouraging results of plasma therapy saying, “Preliminary results of COVID-19 plasma therapy in Odisha have been very encouraging. I am sure plasma donation with the participation of more and more people will become a community-driven people’s movement.”

As of now, four critically-ill COVID-19 patients administered with plasma have recovered from the infection. Odisha reported its first such recovery on July 24 when a 48-year-old woman of Cuttack was cured after the procedure at Ashwini COVID Hospital in Cuttack. Three more patients, who underwent the therapy at Tata Hospital in Ganjam district recovered on Tuesday.

Earlier, convalescent plasma therapy began in three hospitals – SUM Hospital, KIIMS Hospital in Bhubaneswar and Ashwini Hospital in Cuttack on July 15 and July 16. The service was started at Tata COVID Hospital at Sitalapalli in Ganjam district on July 22.

The other functional Plasma Bank is at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, which also acts as a nodal centre.

“Our government recognizes all the efforts made by doctors, paramedics and police personnel. And special thanks to plasma donors,” he added.