Gonoshasthaya to launch plasma centre for C-19 patients on Aug 15

The Plasma and Blood Donation Centre set up by Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital in memory of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will be opened on August 15.
MA Khan, a professor of Dhaka Medical College's Hematology department who heads the technical sub-committee on plasma therapy at the country's premier medical college, will inaugurate the centre at 11:00am on Saturday, said a press release on Tuesday.
Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury will also be present at the programme.
Contacted, Zafrullah said they were going to open the centre on the National Mourning Day commemorating the assassination of the country's founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
'We want to show respect to him who himself named our institution as Gonoshasthaya by opening the centre on that day.'Initially, he said, 25 people will be given plasma every day at the centre. 'When different hospitals are taking Tk 20,000-25,000, we'll only charge Tk 5,000-6,000 for providing corona patients with plasma therapy.'
Zafrullah said plasma was very important for many corona-infected people to beat the virus. 'Many people become very weak physically when they get infected with corona. Plasma is effective for them since it enhances their energy and strengthens their immune system to fight off the virus.'
From September, he said, 50 people will be given plasma daily and an additional 50 people will be provided with various other facilities, including blood transfusions for thalassemia and hemoglobinopathy.     -UNB