Chief minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday inaugurated Jharkhand's first plasma bank at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and urged those who have recovered from coronavirus infection to come forward and donate their blood plasma for treatment of Covi- patients.

“I request all the Covid survivors to come forward and donate plasma for saving the lives of infected people. Their contribution will be seen as service to humankind at large,” said Hemant.

On the opening day of the plasma bank at RIMS, as many as four Covid survivors donated their plasma, health officials said. Any Covid survivor, who has recovered from the infection at least 28 days ago, is eligible to donate plasma. However, those who have recovered more than four months ago cannot donate plasma, health officials said. The donor should fall in the age bracket of 18 to 60 years and should not have cardiac ailments, diabetes or thyroid malfunctions.

Hemant, who has been spearheading the state's fight against Covid-19 pandemic, on Tuesday said that similar plasma banks will be set up in other hospitals across Jharkhand to treat more patients.

“Despite limited resources, our state has been setting examples for the rest of the country in combating the coronavirus. If we have to beat Covid-19, then all of us have to work as a team,” said Hemant.

Plasma therapy involves the use of blood plasma of a Covid survivor to treat a patient with severe symptoms. A person who has survived a coronavirus infection develops antibodies in response to the Covid-19 antigen, and the survivor’s blood plasma may help the infected patient beat the virus, doctors explained.

As per government data, there were 4,979 active cases of Covid-19 in Jharkhand on Tuesday morning. The state has so far reported 8,877 cases of infection and 3,805 of patients have recovered. The Covid death toll in Jharkhand was 93 at the time of filing of this report.