The Communicable Disease Center (CDC) of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has started using the plasma of patients who have recovered from Covid-19 for the treatment of some severe and critical cases of coronavirus infection, CDC medical director Dr Muna al-Maslamani has told Qatar TV.
People who have recovered from the disease can donate around 600ml of their plasma twice a week safely, she noted.
The centre uses sophisticated technology for this purpose, with an extraction session taking only 40 minutes. An ailing person needs around 400ml of plasma initially.
The centre also ensures that the person donating plasma is free from infectious blood diseases.
Studies conducted by scientists in Wuhan, China, on this method of treatment have proven effective on 70% of the treated patients as they started to improve within three days of receiving the plasma treatment.
Meanwhile, Faisal al-Athba, a Qatari man who recently recovered from Covid-19, told Qatar TV that he was very thankful for the great care he received during his treatment, which helped him recover quickly.
He described his Covid-19 infection experience as a hard and critical time, urging all people to strictly abide by the preventive and precautionary measures taken by the government for their own protection and the good of all others.
He added that he has already donated his plasma to the CDC and is scheduled to donate again this week.