Maharashtra Govt Launches World’s Largest Convalescent Plasma Therapy Project

Mumbai: The world’s largest convalescent plasma therapy-cum-trial project, for treatment of serious COVID-19 patients, was launched online by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday.

Convalescent plasma therapy uses antibodies from blood of those who have recovered from coronavirus to treat critical COVID-19 patients.

Plasma is obtained from recovered patients and injected into those patients who are undergoing treatment.

“Project PLATINA – World’s largest convalescent plasma therapy trial cum treatment of severe COVID-19 patients was today launched by @Maha_MEDD & inaugurated by CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray,” the Chief Minister’s Office tweeted.

The state government has approved Rs 16.65 crore for the project from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. It took 21 days for the project to be ready for take-off.

“Convalescent Plasma therapy is now coming up as one of the most important methods in the treatment of severe COVID-19 patients in the absence of definite treatment or drugs for the same,” the CMO said. “This is the world’s largest trial cum treatment project, which is to benefit 500 lives of critically ill COVID-19 patients in Maharashtra,” it added.

The trial will be carried out at 21 centres, including 17 medical colleges under the Medical Education and Drugs Department and four medical colleges of the BMC in Mumbai.

Under the scheme, plasma therapy treatment will be free of cost for all patients of Maharashtra admitted in the above centres.

Maharashtra is the worst-hit Indian state, with a total of 1.65 lakh positive cases. The number of people who have succumbed to the deadly virus in the state so far is 7,429.