By Aakanksha Khajuria

New Delhi, Apr 30 (IANS): The Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), an auxiliary to the government, has been tasked with collating data of Covid-19 cured people and counsel them to donate plasma for the plasma therapy.

In the plasma therapy, the antibodies of a person who has recovered from the viral infection are taken and transfused into an infected person in a bid to boost their immune system.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has started a national study to understand the efficacy of therapy.

Dr Vanshree Singh, director of Indian Red Cross Society's blood bank, told IANS, "The Red Cross will collect data of cured patients from the hospitals and the ICMR. Our organization will then conduct online psychosocial counselling of the shortlisted donors to urge them to donate plasma for the therapy."

The donors would have to fulfil certain guidelines to donate plasma, she said.

"First, the donor should have completely recovered from the viral disease and will have to be of 18-50 years of age. They should not have any major illness or surgeries or heart, kidney and liver issues," Dr Singh said.

After narrowing down the number of eligible donors from the list of recovered patients and counselling them, the society will recommend the list to the government.

The blood bank of the Red Cross would not collect blood. It will be down by the blood bank of the hospital. "It's because there are certain tests that will have to performed directly at the hospital and the patient, under the treatment, should be in that hospital too," she said

The Gujarat branch of the Red Cross has counselled 20 recovered people. "The society has given their details to hospitals, which will collect their plasma soon," Dr Vanshree Singh said.