A Plasma Bank was inaugurated on-line by Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha at Ispat General Hospital of SAIL, Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) on 31st July. The Plasma Bank, set up in association with the Government of Odisha would go a long way in the treatment of the critically ill COVID-19 patients.

It is one of the many exemplary initiatives of SAIL, Rourkela Steel Plant under the guidance of Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, to fight the pandemic. He has also been stressing on strengthening infrastructure and expanding services and COVID-19 tests in SAIL’s hospitals for the people of the region. Earlier in the month of April, a COVID Sample Testing Lab was established in IGH which proved beneficial in containing the spread of the disease.

The Plasma Bank which is first in this region is equipped with Apheresis machine for plasma collection, Sealer, Crash Cart, Oxygen line and a Plasma cabinet for storage of 350-500 units of plasma. Persons completely cured of COVID-19 can donate plasma in the centre. A number of stringent tests are carried out in the Plasma Bank to check the quality of the plasma before providing the same for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The Centre will be managed by the doctors and paramedics of Ispat General Hospital. This centre has brought a new ray of hope and optimism amongst the people of this region.

The inauguration programme was attended by Minister (Labour & Employment), Govt of Odisha, Susanta Singh, Minister (Women & Child Development & Mission Shakti ), Govt of Odisha, Smt Tukuni Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), Govt of Odisha, Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra, CEO, RSP Dipak Chattaraj and many other eminent leaders of the region, senior officers of Govt. of Odisha and Rourkela Steel Plant.