Bhubaneswar, Jul 15 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday inaugurated the Covid Plasma Bank at SCB Medical College in Cuttack for treatment of serious Covid-19 patients.

With this, Odisha joins a select club of states shich have introduced Convalescent Plasma Therapy for the treatment of serious Covid patients.

Odisha is the third state after Delhi and Maharastra to launch Plasma Bank.

While SCB Medical College will be the nodal agency for Plasma Therapy, SUM Hospital, KIIMS Hospital in Bhubaneswar and Aswini Hospital in Cuttack will provide Plasma Therapy treatment.

Inaugurating the facility, the Chief Minister reiterated the government's commitment to provide advanced medical care and treatment to the people of Odisha.

"For me and my government, life of every person is precious and the state would do everything possible to save lives of our people. I would like to announce that Plasma Therapy will be made available free of cost to the people of Odisha," said Patnaik.

He further assured that the government is committed to provide highest standards of medical care and treatment procedures for the people of the state.

Appreciating the work of doctors, the Chief Minister said that medical professionals are working hard to provide their best in serving the people in these difficult Covid times.

"We need to encourage and boost their morale," he stressed.

He appealed to all eligible Covid survivors to come forward and donate their Plasma which will go a long way in helping the treatment of serious Covid patients.