RGSSH in Delhi experiments with plasma therapy, anti-viral meds on Covid-19 patients

As part of two projects - one each with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and ICMR - doctors at the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital in Delhi, are treating Covid-19 positive patients with plasma therapy as well as anti-viral medicines, apart from subjecting them to standard treatment as per Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines.

New Delhi: At Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH) in Delhi, Covid-19 positive patients are being treated with plasma therapy as well as anti-viral medicines proven effective in treating Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS‐CoV) - a disease caused by a species of coronavirus - apart from subjecting them to standard treatment as per Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines.

The experiments with plasma therapy and anti-viral medicines at the Delhi government-run hospital are part of projects, one each with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and ICMR.

"Apart from following a standard procedure laid down by the ICMR in its guidelines to treat Covid-19 positive patients, we are also using plasma therapy and anti-viral medicines used in the treatment of the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS‐CoV) as part of two projects - one with DRDO and the other with ICMR," Dr BL Sherwal, Medical Director, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital told ETV Bharat.

RGSSH presently houses 270 coronavirus positive patients, with an average of 20 patients with the infection being admitted at the hospital every day.

The plasma therapy has been approved by the central government for treating critically-ill patients as well as those with morbid conditions affected by Covid-19.

On June 7, Chhatrapati Pramilaraje (CPR) hospital in Maharashtra Kolhapur claimed that the first attempt of treating a Covid-19 patient using plasma therapy was successful.