Former Municipal Chairperson Tamal Banik donates plasma at SMCH

Sept. 8: Former Municipal Chairperson Tamal Kanti Banik on Tuesday came forward and donated plasma at Silchar Medical College & Hospital (SMCH). Infact, Tamal Kanti Banik and his wife Sampa Banik tested COVID-19 positive on 4 August. They were symptomatic. After full recovery from COVID-19, Mr. Banik donated plasma which would help other positive patients to get cured.

Expressing his views, Tamal Kanti Banik said, “COVID-19 is indeed a very deadly disease. In the absence of any vaccine or medicines to combat the virus, the only way out is by administering plasma to the active patients. This involves using blood plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 and infusing it into patients who currently have the disease. I would really feel a sense of satisfaction, if my plasma be of help in saving 2 to 3 lives. I would also appeal to the symptomatic patients who are cured now to come forward and donate plasma and thereby join the force of Covid warriors in saving lives.”

As the number of novel coronavirus cases are on the rise in Assam, the state health department on 9 July started plasma therapy to treat the patients. State Health Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the doctors and nurses on the occasion of administering of first plasma at Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) ICU on that day. 

Deputy Commissioner, Cachar, Keerthi Jalli on 6 August inaugurated the town’s convalescent plasma bank at the Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) for patients with novel coronavirus disease COVID-19. Nabidul Islam Laskar of Kanakpur, Silchar was the 1st person from Cachar to donate plasma at SMCH. The 1st recipient of plasma at SMCH was Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar. Till 7 September, 90 persons have donated plasma at SMCH, which was administered upon 166 patients.

Plasma is the liquid portion of blood that remains when all red and white blood cells and platelets have been removed. It was over a hundred years ago that Emil Behring was awarded the first Nobel prize for physiology and medicine for his work demonstrating that plasma could be used to treat diphtheria. Convalescent plasma therapy is emerging as one of the most important methods in the treatment of severe COVID-19 patients, in the absence of definite treatment or drugs. All critical patients will receive two doses of 200 ml of convalescent plasma. The plasma of recovered COVID-19 patients contains antibodies thereby fighting infection and helping critically ill patients recover.

People who have fully recovered from COVID-19 for at least two weeks are encouraged to consider donating plasma, which may help save the lives of other patients. COVID-19 convalescent plasma must only be collected from recovered individuals if they are eligible to donate blood. Individuals must have had a prior diagnosis of COVID-19 documented by a laboratory test and meet other donor qualifications. Individuals must have complete resolution of symptoms for at least 14 days prior to donation.