'War against COVID to be a long exercise': Himanta Biswa Sarma

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Dropping a hint that the war against COVID-19 will be a long exercise, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that "the war against COVID-19 will continue till all people in the State are vaccinated".

Addressing doctors, nurses and other Health workers at a plasma-donation camp for COVID-cured Healthcare providers at the GMCH Auditorium here on Monday evening, Sarma said, "We need to shoulder the responsibility of vaccinating each and every person in Assam.

"The sacrifices of Health workers during the past four-and-a-half months have been commendable. Many among them even got infected in the process. However, after their recovery they've come forward to donate their plasma to save other critical corona patients. This is a perfect example of a Good Samaritan. The plasma from a recovered symptomatic person can save two other patients.

"So far, plasma therapy has proved to be the most effective treatment for coronavirus. Aggressive treatments like plasma therapy at the appropriate time along with regular intake of the prescribed medicines have brought down the COVID-mortality rate, which is now 0.24 per cent in the State. This is the lowest mortality rate in the country. Initially, we applied the plasma therapy only at the critical stages of COVID patients. In the process, we lost 26 of the then 64 critical patients. Now we've changed the treatment strategy. Now we're applying the plasma therapy even if there is mild infection related to COVID. And, patients are positively responding to this treatment. As a result, we've lost only two of the 76 critical patients who are receiving the plasma therapy.

"As many as 1,080 Health workers of the State have been infected with the virus, including those in several private hospitals. After recovery, 375 among them have come forward to donate their plasma. We want to apply plasma therapy to all the critical-COVID patients with co-morbidity."

Sarma further said that so far 70 per cent of the total COVID-positive patients have been discharged after their recoveries. Plasma therapy was first applied at the GMCH on July 8, he pointed out.

Also Watch: Elderly Couple Die Due To Fire