BALURGHAT: To treat critical COVID-19 patients who are currently undergoing treatment at Balurghat Covid Hospital, convalescent plasma therapy treatment has started here for the first time in North Bengal, said Chief Medical Officer of Health, South Dinajpur, Dr Sukumar Dey while speaking to Millennium Post on Friday.
"We have started the convalescent plasma therapy treatment and transfused the blood plasma to a 67-year-old serious COVID-19 patient who has been undergoing treatment at Balurghat Covid Hospital. He is a chronic patient of kidney and diabetes whose creatinine level reached 4 mg. He has also had a cardiac arrest around six months ago. His blood oxygen saturation level was 85 percent before the treatment started. He has responded very well after the plasma transfusion and his oxygen saturation level is now 90-92 percent," Dr Dey said.
He added that the Covid Hospital in-charge Dr Sarthak Sen Sharma conducted the plasma therapy of the patient who resides in Balurghat Civic area.
According to him, initially the patient was transfused one unit of plasma (200 ml) already. "We can transfuse the second unit of plasma if necessary. Four such serious patients have already transfused the plasma and we have seen good results. We are happy to start the convalescent plasma therapy for the first time in North Bengal," he said.