Siblings donate ‘blood plasma’ to COVID-19 patient

Two young siblings recently recovered from the novel coronavirus donated blood plasma to a COVID-19 patient.

The donor siblings are Mahpara Tasneem and Mashrur Tahmin. Both of their parents are physicians. Their mother Helena Afrin is a gynecologist and she works at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital while their father Mashiur Rahman is an assistant professor at Habiganj’s Sheikh Hasina Medical College Hospital.

Their mother has also recovered from the respiratory disease.

Mahpara Tasneem said, “When we’re told that a coronavirus patient can be cured by our blood plasma, we felt it is our duty to save a life. It is an opportunity in our life to help an ill person.”

She called on everybody who has recovered from the disease to donate plasma to save others. “Those who are physically fit should donate plasma.”

The young siblings recovered quickly, she said while sharing her family’s suffering, but it took long time for their mother to recover from the respiratory disease.

“Despite being young, my children have come forward donating plasma. They’ve shown their courage. People should come out of the fear. Those who have been cured should come forward as well," Mashiur Rahman said.

“The crisis will intensify if we do not volunteer together. Until now, the plasma treatment is seen effective.”

When asked, Mashiur said plasma of both of his children was donated to a critical patient.

In an interview with Prothom Alo, professor MA Khan, a hematologist at DMCH and head of the technical committee formed by the government regarding plasma transfusion, urged the patients recovered from coronavirus to donate their plasma for critically ill patients.

He said, “As far as we know, plasma therapy is effective for patients who have not yet been shifted to intensive care.”

“Such patients are taking a short time to recover under plasma therapy, because the survivors’ antibodies render coronavirus ineffective in the patient’s body. This will prevent acute lung injury of the patients and they won’t need ICU or ventilation.”

*This report is rewritten in English by Toriqul Islam.