Visually challenged man donates blood plasma

A month after Nitish Sonawane, a visually impaired music teacher, recovered from Covid-19, he returned to the private city hospital where he was treated and donated blood for the convalescent plasma therapy

A month after Nitish Sonawane, a visually impaired music teacher, recovered from Covid-19, he returned to the private city hospital where he was treated and donated blood for the convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) on Monday. CPT is believed to improve the condition of patients infected with the novel coronavirus.

HT Photo (Nitish Sonawane donate plasma at Nanavati Hospital.)

Officials at the Vile Parle-based Nanavati Hospital said Sonawane, who travelled almost 15kms from his Mankhurd home, has set an example for thousands of recovered patients who are refuse to donate their blood for CPT.

“The whole process took around 40 minutes. Through a needle placed into my vein, blood is drawn out. After extraction of the plasma, the blood is returned into the body. This is done in several cycles,” said Sonawane who plans to donate his plasma again. “There was no reason to let my visual impairment deter my ability to donate plasma. Knowing that I can donate plasma after 15 days, I may return,” he added.

Individuals infected with Covid-19 develop antibodies as part of the body’s natural immune response to the foreign pathogen. This antibody invades pathogens and works to eliminate the novel coronavirus in patients. During CPT, these antibodies are infused into the blood of the Covid-19 patients to help to fight against the virus.

It was in the second week of May that the 28-year-old was diagnosed with Covid-19 following which he was admitted to Nanavati hospital. He underwent treatment for two weeks before getting discharged on May 31.

When Sonawane got to know about the potential benefit of CPT in fighting the virus, he decided to donate his blood.

“It was my first day at work post-quarantine when I received a call from the hospital. I informed my superiors (at the music school) that I wish to donate plasma and they immediately agreed. It felt like I was fulfilling my responsibility,” said Sonawane.

On June 29, he travelled alone from the Happy Home and School for the Blind—his workplace at Worli - to the hospital and back home.

It was also the same day that chief minister Uddhav Thackeray unveiled ‘Project Platina,’ world’s largest plasma therapy trial run by Maharashtra government. More than 500 Covid-19 patients suffering from severe symptoms from across the state are likely to be beneficiaries.

Last month, HT had reported that less than 1% of recovered patients were willing to donate blood, posing a hurdle for CPT.

Manpreet Sohal, director and chief operating officer, said, “Such good samaritans encourage us to keep fighting this war against the pandemic. Covid-19 survivors like him are a living testament of our grit and determination to eliminate the virus.”