Punjab govt starts research on effects of steroids, plasma therapy in COVID-19 patients

Ramping up the efforts for the treatment and equip medical fraternity with latest techniques in the direction to cure COVID-19 patients, Punjab Medical Education and Research Department has coordinated with PGI and initiated multicentric studies on the role of steroids and plasma therapy in patients.

Stating this on Friday, a spokesperson of the department said that after the efforts of the department, one patient in Patiala was motivated and he has donated plasma for COVID-19 patients. He said that various Medical Colleges of Punjab have coordinated efficiently for the first time to this scale and are working as a single cohesive force in tackling this new disease with full vigour.

This team-based approach is one of its kind and has gone a long way in saving the lives of COVID-19 patients. He also said that an expert group was formed in Punjab wherein the experts in managing COVID 19 patients have been regularly discussing the cases on phones and on video conference. The expert group has doctors from PGIMER, AIIMS, USA, UK, Canada, DMC Ludhiana, and all the three state Medical Colleges in Punjab.

The deliberations by this group have gone a long way in improving the management of the patients and decreasing the mortality of the patients. Informing about the initiative, the spokesman said that two expert sessions are being regularly conducted by Department of Medical Education and Research.

Update Session for medical specialists and anaesthetists looking after mild to moderately sick COVID-19 patients (level ll), is being conducted every Thursday. The medical officers from peripheral hospitals present the cases which are discussed by Dr Talwar, Dr Bishav Mohan, Dr Vishal Chopra, Dr Ravinder Garg and Dr R P S Sibia and the doctors are advised accordingly.

Divulging further, he said that update sessions for critical COVID-19 (level lll) patients for faculty of medical colleges and other level lll facilities physician and critical care experts/anaesthetists, is being conducted every Saturday. Till today 21 sessions have been conducted on Thursday and Saturday and about 2390 doctors have participated in these sessions.

As the data and management of this new disease emerged world over the department has been doing best efforts to save the lives of the patients affected by this disease, he added.