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Anil Kohli, an assistant commissioner of police in Punjab's Ludhiana, died of the coronavirus on Saturday. Kohli was undergoing treatment at SPS Apollo Hospital in Ludhiana. He was tested for the deadly infection a few days ago. Infact, a plasma therapy on the police officer was finalised, for which the Punjab government gave an approval on Friday. However, the ACP passed away before his treatment could be started.
The family of Kohli had given permission for the plasma therapy treatment and the director of Health Services is coordinating with potential plasma donors, an official had told PTI on Friday. The therapy was being arranged by the state government's health adviser, Dr. KK Talwar, former director of PGIMER. On Dr. Talwar's request, Dr. Neelam Marwaha, former HOD, Blood Transfusion Department, PGI had agreed to guide the efforts for plasma therapy.
"District administration Mohali is dispatching one young fully recovered/cured COVID patient to SPS/Apollo Hospital Ludhiana," Special Chief Secretary, KBS Sidhu informed in a tweet. His plasma may be used to try and cure the other COVID-19 positive patients by plasma therapy, he said.“If he is IgG positive, only then it will be helpful,” Sidhu said.
What is the convalescent plasma therapy
The convalescent plasma therapy aims at using immune power gained by a recovered person to treat a sick person. The therapy uses antibodies from the blood of cured patients to treat severely-ill COVID-19 patients. This has to be a voluntary donation from the patients who have recovered from the disease.
(With PTI inputs)
