After delays, plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients begins in Goa: Health minister Rane

Panaji (Goa) [India], August 2 : After much delay, plasma therapy treatment finally started in Goa on Sunday. Two COVID-19 patients were successfully administered plasma therapy in the state, the Goa government said.
"As committed to the people of Goa, we have started Plasma therapy in the state for treatment of critical COVID-19 patients. Happy to announce that two patients have been successfully administered Plasma under the compassionate use of Convalescent Plasma against COVID19, " Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane wrote on his Facebook page.
"Our team is moving forward head on to fight this virus and emerge victorious in our fight against COVID-19," the minister added.
Earlier, the state government had to delay the start of the plasma therapy as there were some formalities left to be completed, state health secretary Neela Mohanan had said.
Speaking to reporters, she had said that at least 15-20 recovered COVID-19 patients had already donated their plasma, but the state government was yet to start the plasma therapy, as there were a few more procedures left to be completed.
The Convalescent plasma therapy is an experimental procedure in which plasma from the blood of recovered COVID-19 patient is transfused to a critically ill COVID-19 patient.