Recovered Women Tablighis Donate Blood Plasma For COVID-19 Patients

Several  of the women members of Tablighi Jamaat who were receiving treatment in Delhi and have recovered from the novel coronavirus infection have donated their plasma for the betterment of those who continue to fight the disease, on Thursday. They are currently staying in a quarantine facility in Narela after they tested negative from the disease.

“Seven members of mastooraat jamaat (the group’s women wing) have already donated plasma on Thursday and more are expected on Friday. All of them are from south Indian states,” said a volunteer, appointed by the district administration for facilitating plasma donation, at the Narela facility, reported TNIE.

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They are not alone, other international Tablighis who have recovered at Narela and Sultanpuri centres also expressed their desire to donate their plasma but the hospital administration did not allow them, said the Delhi government officials, privy to the development the aforementioned report stated.

About Plasma Donation

Plasma donation is being encouraged by those who have recovered from the contagious disease because those who have fought it, their plasma now contains COVID-19 antibodies. These antibodies provided one way for their immune system to fight the virus when you were sick, so their plasma may be able to be used to help others fight off the disease.

The Delhi government is also promoting plasma extraction by those patients who have recovered from the disease. They're doing this by engaging Jamaat volunteers, who help in donation and coordination. Dr Mohmmad Shoaib Ali is the coordinator for plasma collection on behalf of the health department of the Delhi government. As per him, plasma has been collected from 100 jamaatis in total.

“Several foreign Tablighis from Malaysia, Algeria, Fiji, and other countries have registered themselves but we are not accepting their plasma,” said Dr Ali. Plasma collection at Sultanpuri center has been stalled for two days as test reports of several donors haven’t been released yet.

Who Can Donate

“According to the protocol, a recovered patient – after two consecutive negative tests and completing two weeks under quarantine – can donate plasma for the convalescent plasma therapy, which is used for the treatment of others. Reports of several are still awaited hence operation at Sultanpuri has currently been stopped,” Dr Ali added.

As of now over 350 eligible members of the Tablighi Jamaat have agreed to donate their plasma for the treatment of those severely affected by the disease. Lok Nayak Hospital has already started with the plasma therapy and AIIMS is second in line in the capital.

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“Seven members of mastooraat jamaat (the group’s women wing) have already donated plasma on Thursday and more are expected on Friday. All of them are from south Indian states”

"We have collected plasma from a couple of donors already and now we are looking for a suitable recipient for the therapy—someone who is admitted to the intensive care unit, yet can tolerate the therapy," Dr DK Sharma, medical superintendent of AIIMS, said, HT reported.

In other states as well, members of the Tablighi Jamaat, who earlier tested positive for the novel coronavirus but have recovered now, have stepped forward to donate their plasma. In Tamil Nadu where more than 1,000 participants had voluntarily admitted themselves for coronavirus testing, the recovered patients now are donating their plasma. "We will donate blood, but if we do this in an organised manner through the government, the people will get to know that they don't need to ostracise us," said Professor Abdul Hameed, professor at Chennai's New College, News 18 reported. The 30-year-old professor was also among the Tablighi Jamaat attendees and had tested positive for the virus, before being discharged from the hospital on April 20.

Picture credit- News 18