Renowned Hematologist DrSaqib Ansari on Thursday announced that the first Coronavirus patient in Pakistan YahyaJaffery has donated his plasma to Children Hospital Karachi for the treatment of critical patients of the virus.
Addressing a press conference at the hospital along with Jaffery, his parents and famous cricketer Roman Rais, DrSaqib Ansari demanded the government for a go-ahead to use the plasma for the treatment of the patients. “We need no funds, new machinery or workforce as Children’s Hospital Karachi is ready to offer its services free of cost,” the seasoned Hematologist said while talking about the recent advancement in the treatment of Coronavirus patients. He said that the process of acquiring and processing of the plasma cost Rs20,000 each and the hospital is ready to bear the cost for the betterment of humanity. Dr Ansari said that currently his team is working on three fronts to handle the Coronavirus pandemic: limit the outbreak, treatment of patients and control the panic among society. He termed Jaffery as hero of the nation and paid a rich tribute to his parents for their courage and resolve against the epidemic.
Talking about the recent advancement, he said that along with several antibiotics and other therapies, the plasma of those recovered patients affected by the virus in the past is being used in several parts of the developed world.
Based on the latest study in Beijing in collaboration of the world’s leading research institutes, he said that the plasma infusion in critical patients of Coronavirus has yielded excellent results. Referring to the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) of the United States, the World Health Organization and other reputable institutions, he said that the method is being used across the world for the treatment of critical patients of the disease. He highlighted the example of the US where the FDA has publically appealed recovered patients of Coronavirus to donate their plasma.
“Children’s Hospital Karachi and Houston Methodist Hospital of the US are already collaborating with each other in this regard, he said, adding that DrFazalMahmood of the hospital in the US is in touch with Dr Ansari and both are closely monitoring the developments across the world in respect to the virus.
Dr Ansari added that the therapy is only being applied to critical patients of the virus. Almost 90 percent of the affected people get recovered without being admitted to intensive care units and only a thin fraction of the Coronavirus patients are admitted to ICUs. Such patients can be administrated the plasma and medical experts believe that the therapy will produce positive results, Dr Ansari said.
