Highlights
- Project PLATINA will benefit 500 critically ill patients of COVID-19
- Project PLATINA will be carried out in 21 medical colleges in Maharashtra
- Plasma therapy project has received Rs. 16.65 crore from CM Relief fund
New Delhi: On Monday (June 29), Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated ‘Project PLATINA’, touted as world’s largest convalescent plasma therapy trial cum treatment of severe COVID-19 patients. According to the information shared by CM Thackeray on social media, convalescent plasma therapy which involves transfusion of antibodies from a recovered coronavirus patient to a critical patient will benefit 500 critically ill patients of COVID-19 in Maharashtra. The project launched by the Medical Education and Drugs Department of Maharashtra will be carried out in 21 medical colleges – 17 under Medical Education and Drugs Department and four under Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in Mumbai.
The trial will be carried out in 17 Medical Colleges under @Maha_MEDD and 4 Medical Colleges of @mybmc in Mumbai (21 centres)
— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) June 29, 2020
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In the absence of a definite treatment, drug and vaccine against COVID-19, plasma therapy has shown positive results in the treatment and recovery of critically ill patients of COVID-19 in Delhi, Ahmedabad and other parts of the country. In the past, convalescent plasma therapy has proven to be helpful in the treatment during H1N1 outbreak of 2009, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and other diseases. However, it didn’t give satisfactory results during Ebola virus.
“The plasma of recovered COVID 19 patients contains antibodies thereby fighting infection and helping critically ill patients recover”, said CM Thackeray in a tweet.
All critical patients will receive two doses of 200 ml of convalescent plasma. The plasma of recovered COVID 19 patients contains antibodies thereby fighting infection and helping critically ill patients recover.
— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) June 29, 2020
As part of the trial cum treatment in Maharashtra, all critical patients of COVID-19 will receive two doses of 200 ml of convalescent plasma. Patients admitted in the designated 21 medical colleges will undergo the plasma therapy treatment for free.
Also Read: Mumbai Can See Flattening Of COVID Curve By Mid-July, Normalcy Of Life By August: Health Expert
Aaditya Thackeray, the state minister for the environment informed that the project is funded through the CM Relief fund and hoped that this will be a landmark trial in the global fight against the COVID pandemic. A sum of Rs. 16.65 crore has been issued for the same.
CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray has approved ₹16.65 Crore for the purposes of this project cum clinical trial from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The project has reached an inaugural stage in around 21days.
— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) June 29, 2020
CM Thackeray also believes that the PLATINA trial will give robust data regarding the role of convalescent plasma in the treatment of COVID 19 patients, thereby helping governments to issue guidelines in the management of the pandemic.
“This trial will help formulate definite treatment guidelines for the entire country in managing serious COVID patients and thus be a milestone in turning a page in this pandemic”, he wrote on Twitter.
This trial will help formulate definite treatment guidelines for the entire country in managing serious COVID patients and thus be a milestone in turning a page in this pandemic.
— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) June 29, 2020
Talking about the treatment, Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, Group Medical Director, Max Healthcare and the first doctor to conduct plasma therapy to treat COVID-19 patient said,
There is no point in administering plasma to mild cases of COVID-19 or at an early stage of infection. Convalescent plasma therapy is not much effective when a patient is on a ventilator. The best stage to give plasma is ‘moderate severity’ – when the patient’s requirement of oxygen increases.
Maharashtra, Worst-hit State By Coronavirus
As on June 29, Maharashtra, is the worst-hit Indian state by the Coronavirus and accounts for over 1.64 lakh (1,64626) cases of COVID-19 out of the total of 5.48 lakh (5,48,318) cases in the country. Of the total cases reported in the state, 70,622 are still active whereas 86,575 patients have recovered and 7,429 fatalities have been recorded. In Maharashtra, Mumbai continues to be the biggest contributor.
Amid a steady growth in the COVID-19 numbers in Maharashtra, on Monday, the state also extended the coronavirus lockdown till July 31. As part of the lockdown, only those attending offices and emergencies will be allowed unrestricted movement.
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