SHILLONG: NEIGRIHMS officiating Director Dr P. Bhattacharya on Tuesday virtually put an end to the debate on setting up of a plasma bank in the state, saying that plasma therapy was not a front runner in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
The statement came from the NEIGRIHMS Director at a time when the institute is awaiting nod from the Drug Controller General of India to operationalise the plasma bank. The government has also shown any keenness to start the plasma bank.
Dr Bhattacharya asserted that plasma is collected from a recovered patient who might have hepatitis or other diseases which may not be detected during the testing process.
The Director also clarified that the institute did not buy the machine for plasma therapy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic but for collecting plasma for treatment of other diseases as well.
Meanwhile, the Health department has decided to conduct an in-depth study on the claims that COVID-19 does not spread from a positive patient after 10 days.
DHS (MI) Dr. Aman War on Tuesday said the department would examine the claims by going through the articles written by medical experts, and based on the outcome the existing protocols issued by the department will be reexamined.
“We will have to investigate further on the findings of those who are conducting tests on COVID-19. I am sure we will be able to come to some conclusion on this,” he added.
Cases surge after hiatus
Following a short reprieve, Meghalaya on Tuesday reported 101 new COVID-19 cases to take the active tally to 1476 while 72 patients recovered on the day bringing the number of recoveries to 3940.
54 new cases were detected in East Khasi Hills, 37 in West Garo Hills, 4 in West Jaintia Hills, 2 each in Ri Bhoi and South West Garo Hills and 1 each in East Jaintia Hills and East Garo Hills.
The recoveries on Tuesday included 54 in East Khasi Hills, 9 in West Garo Hills, 4 in East Jaintia Hills, 3 in East Garo Hills and 2 in Ri Bhoi.
Meanwhile, six persons including three cancer patients have died of COVID-19 in the state in the last two days. ) Dr War informed that 55-year-old Dil Bahadur Thapa, who was tested COVID-19 positive on being admitted at NEIGRIHMS on September 13, died on September 28 due to cardio respiratory arrest with COVID-19 pneumonia and cerebrovascular accident (stroke) with hypertension, taking the death toll to 47.
He was a resident of Ladrymbai, East Jaintia Hills.
Three cancer patients – Firstborn Marbaniang, Knesman Nongsiej and Phomty Phawa and Sanjay Singh Muktam (36), who was suffering from chronic kidney disease stage-V, died at Shillong Civil Hospital.
All had tested positive for COVID-19.
While Firstborn Marbaniang and Knesman Nongsiej died on September 27, Phomty Phawa died on September 28.
