New Delhi: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday warned that strict action will be taken if it is found that monetary transaction was done during the process of plasma donation for any COVID-19 patient.
He said this in response to a query from a reporter on such alleged irregularities.
"Plasma donation to benefit COVID patients is a benevolent act. And, strict action will be taken if anyone tries to buy or sell plasma," he said.
A first-of-its-kind 'plasma bank' in the country was recently set up at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Science (ILBS) in south Delhi.
Delhi government-run LNJP Hospital also recently started a plasma bank.
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Later, in a statement issued by the Delhi government, Jain was quoted as saying, "Delhi government is very serious about plasma therapy. If there is any report of corruption regarding plasma donation then the government will take serious action against the people associated with such corruption".
Earlier this month, hospitals in Delhi were ordered to appoint a nodal officer for requisition, coordination and issuance of plasma from the 'plasma bank' recently set up at ILBS.
The July 8 order also said, plasma would be issued on a first-come, first-served basis subject to availability, with the understanding that there would be "no commercial usage" and it would be made available to the patient "free of cost".
PTI
