Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 25 (ANI): The Union Health Ministry on Friday approved the pool testing and plasma therapy for the treatment of COVID-19Â disease in the State, said Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope.
According to a press release of the state government, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had interaction with the Health Ministers and Health Secretaries of the States through video conferencing on Friday afternoon. “Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan gave approval to the pool testing and plasma therapy proposal of State government.
During the interaction, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that that the portable pulse oximeter and x-ray testing can help in early diagnosis of the corona patients that can help to curb the mortality rate due to COVID-19 ,” the release reads.
The release further said that the State also suggested the re-use of the personal protection equipment (PPE) kits by disinfecting it. 18 more COVID-19Â deaths and 394 new coronavirus cases were reported in Maharashtra on Friday. “The total count of coronavirus cases in the State has climbed to 6,817,” said the state Public Health Department.
With 18 more deaths, the toll due to the infection has risen to 310. With 1,752 new COVID-19Â cases reported in the last twenty-four hours, the total number of cases in the country is at 23,452, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday.
Out of the total tally, 17,915 are active cases and 4,814 patients have been cured/discharged and migrated. With 37 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the total number of deaths due to the deadly virus rises to 724 deaths. (ANI)Â
SCTIMST hails Health Ministry guidelines on Plasma Therapy
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala ) [India], April 29 (ANI): Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST ), the first national institute in the country to get nod from Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) for conducting Plasma Therapy, has welcomed the new guidelines recommended by Health Ministry for undertaking clinical trials in Plasma Therapy.
Dr Asha Kishore, director SCTIMSTÂ , said that plasma therapy is an experimental treatment and is offered in other countries such as USA only for restricted use. “Plasma therapy is an experimental treatment only for restricted use and with regulatory approvals in each case.
It should not be offered except as a clinical trial supervised by ICMR in India,” Kishore told ANI. Explaining the medical side and dangers of giving approvals in large scale she said, “It is not a proven therapy to be used without approval of DCGI or health ministry.
There would be a lot of malpractices and misuse if clinical trials are conducted without the supervision of a government expert body like ICMR in India.” She said the Plasma Therapy should have a protocol driven clinical trial approach so that all ethical practices are followed.
“It was surprising to read reports of its use in many states in the last few days,” she told. (ANI)Â
