Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said Convalescent Plasma (CP) therapy did not help in reducing death due to COVID-19.

The confirmed global COVID-19 cases hit 23.3 million as of Monday morning, according to the latest tally from Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

Some 59 policemen of Bogura, who have recovered from coronavirus, will be donating their plasma for the treatment of the disease in other patients.

The health condition of Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, who is battling coronavirus and pneumonia, improved on Wednesday.

‘Shohojoddha’, a plasma network, has been initiated by the ICT division, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), a2i Innovation Lab and eGeneration to facilitate the collection and distribution of plasma from patients who recovered from coronavirus. It is a plasma network platform designed with the intent to connect plasma donors and recipients in Bangladesh, according to a press release. In the platform, donors can register to become part of a digital plasma bank in Bangladesh that will serve patients infected by coronavirus. The digital plasma network will enable infected patients to search and collect necessary plasma in case of a doctor prescribes convalescent plasma therapy. The platform is available through www.shohojoddha.com web portal and Facebook page. Dhaka Medical College (DMC), Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), United Hospital, Universal Hospital, Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), e-Cab, Praava Health, Pulse Health, OIwell, Grey, Ayat Foundation and Bangladesh Super Market Owners’ Association Pathao, Shohoz, BAGDOOM and Chaldal have become partners of this initiative. State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak MP while inaugurating the network through a web based programme said that the government has been taking successful measures to keep people safe during this global health crisis. He said  ‘Shohojoddha’ platform is acontinuation of all the government efforts to cure people infected by the coronavirus. "We want to effectively use the existing infrastructure that promote the public's health and implement IT infrastructure over the existing system to contribute to improved individual and communal health outcomes concerning coronavirus," he said. Director of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Md. Aminul Hasan was present as special guest while Project Director (Additional Secretary) pf the a2i Dr. Md Abdul Mannan chaired the programme. In the event eGeneration Group Chairman Shameem Ahsan presented his keynote presentation on the ‘Shohojoddha’ platform. Special Guest Dr. Md. Aminul Hasan said, “Coronavirus is a crisis of a completely different magnitude and one that will require a response of unprecedented scale." He said that Platform like ‘Shohojoddha’ is much needed in country’s current situation. "Health sector needs to adopt with digital technologies like this to fight a challenge like COVID-19. We wish this initiative a resounding success.” Dr. Md Abdul Mannan said, “a2i has been working continuously to collaborate with public and private sector to initiate different project. We hope that platforms like ‘Shohojoddha’ will be integrated into our public health system.” Policy advisor of a2i Anir Chowdhury, said that plasma donor does not feel any illness as only plasma or aqueous part of blood is taken from the body of a corona recovered patient in plasma therapy. He mentioned that It is easier to give plasma than to give blood and there is no reason to be afraid. "A major silver lining is that most infected people get completely cured from the infection. I would like to request the recovered people to register through the ‘Shohojoddha’ network so that you can contribute to stopping corona.” eGeneration Chairman Shameem Ahsan said, "We are living through an exceptional time, and our greatest strength lies in working together. The transmission of coronavirus has become a major concern for our public health, and we need proper implementation of information technology through collaboration of our government, private sector, and healthcare service providers to keep pace with the ongoing situation. ‘Shohojoddha’ platform is the manifestation of the ideology to bring about technology innovation to our health sector.” Faruq Ahmed Jewel, Head of Technology for i-Lab at a2i said, “To solve our national problems innovation lab has been doing research with RND partners and researchers. ‘Shohojoddha’ is one of those initiatives that we are launching. Our belief is that the platform will play a vital part in binding different stakeholders to facilitate the plasma distribution in our country.”

An online medical board comprising local and foreign doctors has been formed for the treatment of ailing Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, who tested positive for coronavirus, received plasma therapy for the third time on Friday night alongside the regular kidney dialysis.  

After Dhaka Medical College Hospital, now Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) has started Convalescent Plasma Therapy (CPT) on experimental basis, aiming to save lives of Covid-19 infected patients.   A physician, who had recovered from coronavirus, donated his plasmas to KMCH for the first time on Thursday night.   A medical team led by Dr SM Tushar Alam, head of blood transfusion department of the hospital, administered CPT to treat a coronavirus infected patient at the hospital.   Sources said, Dr Mohammad Manjurul, an intern of Sir Salimullah Medical College and Hospital and a resident of Bagerhat,  donated his plasmas at the blood bank of the hospital.   Dr Manjurul was found infected with coronavirus in April and later he recovered.    Prof. Dr Mohammad Abdul Ahad of Khulna Medical College, director of KMCH, Dr Munshi Reza Sekendar, coordinator of Coronavirus prevention and treatment management committee, Dr Mehedi Newaz, Focal person of Corona Dedicated hospital Dr Farid Uddin Ahmed, Dr Shoilendranath Biswas and Dr Firoz were present there.   Dr SM Tushar Alam, said, “ Convalescent Plasma Therapy (CPT) has started at the hospital  and we hope we’ll see positive change in the  patient within one or two days.”   Plasma is the liquid portion of blood that remains when all red and white blood cells and platelets have been removed. CPT is extracting blood plasma from an individual who has recovered from coronavirus illness and transfusing it into a patient who is sick.   CPT is, by far, the oldest treatment being tested to battle COVID-19, being successful in cases during the previous coronavirus outbreaks such as the Sars epidemic in 2003 and the Ebola virus outbreak in 2013. Physicians used CPT effectively before the specific treatment was developed for H1N1 influenza (Spanish virus), SARS-1 and MERS virus.   Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH)  started collecting plasmas from COVID-19 recovered donors. Earlier, CPT was used for treating a COVID-19 patient for the first time in Bangladesh at the Evercare Hospital Dhaka (formerly known as Apollo Hospital) on May 6.   In Bangladesh, a national technical subcommittee for the plasma treatment under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) was formed in early April and DMCH’s blood transfusion department decided on April 28 to explore CPT to treat COVID-19 patients.

A total of 1,933 medical  teams are working to ensure health services during cyclone Amphan, the Health Media cell said Wednesday.