Recovered from COVID-19, Lucknow doctor donates plasma for treatment of patients

Dr Tauseef Khan, a resident doctor at the KGMU here who recently defeated COVID-19, began the month of Ramzan, which is considered a time for giving, by donating blood for treatment of others suffering from the deadly disease using his plasma.

Khan, in his late 20s, contracted coronavirus from a patient while working at the King George's Medical University and tested positive for the infection on March 17.He was discharged on April 7 from the KGMU and is now back at work after a 14-day home quarantine.

"Dr D Himanshu of Medicine Department, who is looking after the treatment of COVID-19 patients, asked me if I wanted to become the first plasma donor (of KGMU). I immediately said yes as in the holy month of Ramzan, nothing could be greater than being able to save the life of a patient," Khan said.

He said he observed his first 'roza' on Saturday and gave his blood for testing after consulting clerics whether it is permissible to do so while fasting.

Head of Transfusion Medicine, KGMU, Dr Tulika Chandra told PTI, "The work on administering medical treatment to COVID-19 patients through plasma therapy began on Saturday."

"In this context, the blood sample of Dr Tauseef Khan, a resident doctor, who had recovered from COVID-19, was taken for testing. In the test, the condition of the anti-bodies was found quite good," she said.