Dharmendra Pradhan Becomes First Union Minister to Donate Plasma After Recovery from Covid-19

Union Minister for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday donated plasma at the Srirama Chandra Bhanja Medical College in Cuttack after recovering from Covid-19.

“It is immensely satisfying to do my bit towards the fight against coronavirus pandemic,” said Pradhan in a tweet. He is the first Union Minister to have donated plasma, after battling the deadly respiratory disease for nearly three weeks.

After donation, he urged people to come up and donate plasma, as well, saying it would save “precious lives” in the pandemic and ensure patients’ well-being.

Antibodies produced by the immune system of a recovered Covid-19 patient aid in the recovery from the disease. Plasma is the largest liquid portion of the blood. It contains many nutrients, hormones and proteins required by the body to stay healthy.

Convalescent plasma is plasma collected from a person who has recovered from an infection recently. Plasma collected from those who have successfully beat Covid-19 contains antibodies developed against the virus and could possibly help others fight the infection.