Lucknow Doctor Who Recovered From COVID-19 Donates Plasma While Observing Ramzan Fast
In a noble gesture, a doctor from Lucknow who had recently recovered from COVID-19 infection has donated his plasma for treatment of others suffering from the deadly disease.?
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Dr.Tauseef Khan, a resident doctor at the KGMU in Lucknow donated his plasma while observing fast during the holy month of Ramzan, which is considered a time for giving.Khan, in his late 20s, contracted coronavirus from a patient while working at the King George's Medical University and tested positive for the infection on March 17, PTI reported.
He was discharged from the hospital on April 7 and is now back at work after a 14-day home quarantine.?
"Dr. D Himanshu of Medicine Department, who is looking after the treatment of COVID-19 patients, asked me if I wanted to become the first plasma donor (of KGMU). I immediately said yes as nothing could be greater than being able to save the life of a patient in the holy month of Ramzan," Khan told PTI.
He said he observed his first 'roza' on Saturday and gave his blood after consulting clerics whether it is permissible to do so while fasting.?
Head of Transfusion Medicine, KGMU, Tulika Chandra told PTI, "The work on administering medical treatment to COVID-19 patients through plasma therapy began on Saturday."?
"In this context, the blood sample of Dr. Tauseef Khan, a resident doctor who had recovered from COVID-19, was taken for testing. In the test, the condition of the antibodies was found quite good," she said.?
Chandra said, "In the evening, the process of extracting plasma from his body started, and almost 500 millilitres of plasma was extracted. The process took almost one-and-half hour."She said Khan's plasma will be administered on Monday or Tuesday to a patient who is in a serious condition and in whose case medicines aren't working.?
"The patient will be given 200 millilitres of plasma. In other words, plasma donated by one patient (who has recovered from COVID-19) can be used for the treatment of two patients. If there is no positive result after the first 200 millilitres of plasma has been infused, then another 200 millilitres is infused," she elaborated.?
While there is no known cure for COVID-19 plasma therapy has so far proven to be the most effective.?
Recently over 100 Tablighi Jamaat members who have recovered from the infection have reportedly offered to donate their plasma to treat COVID-19 patients in Delhi.
Out of the 142 people who were tested positive after they attended the religious gathering in Nizamuddin last month, 129 have recovered and have offered to donate plasma.??
