Karnataka launches Mission COPE, inaugurates first plasma bank

COVID Plasma Endeavour, as part of the COVID India Campaign, aims to promote plasma donation among patients who have recovered from COVID-19

The Karnataka Government in association with COVID India Campaign and HCG Hospital in Bengaluru announced the launch of Mission COPE (COVID Plasma Endeavour). The state’s maiden plasma bank was inaugurated at HCG Hospital by the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka CN Ashwathnarayan. Tejasvi Surya, Member of Parliament was the Guest of Honour. 

COVID India Campaign, under the aegis of ICATT Foundation, launched Mission COPE to promote plasma donation among patients who have recovered from COVID-19. 

Speaking at the launch, Dr Vishal Rao, Regional Director – Head & Neck Surgical Oncology, HCG Cancer Hospital, Bengaluru said, “As India registers over 1.5 million coronavirus cases and we continue to see persistent spikes of the pandemic in Bengaluru, we need to strengthen our fight against the tenacious virus. Plasma therapy has shown encouraging results in clinical trial settings, especially in critical COVID-19 patients. We need more people who have recovered from the infection to donate plasma so that we can save innocent lives. This is the time for us, as members of the human race, to join forces and defeat the virus that has taken the world hostage.”

Dr Shalini Nalwad, Director, ICATT Foundation further added, “When the crisis is unprecedented, our response has to be unequalled. The current scenario – where we are up against a disease with no cure or vaccine yet – calls for key collaboration and conversations. Over the last few weeks, many doctors across India have come forward to counsel patients, who have recovered from COVID-19, to donate plasma under this campaign. Doctors, researchers and healthcare experts are doing their best to find solutions. However, they cannot do it alone. We all need to do our bit.”

Mission COPE campaign is headed by Dr Shalini Nalwad, ICATT Foundation Director and her fellow Founder Volunteer at COVID India Campaign, Swadeep Pillarisetti. Dr Vishal Rao, associate dean of HCG, heads the clinical trial for plasma therapy at HCG Hospital.

COVID India CampaignCOVID Plasma EndeavourDeputy Chief Minister of Karnataka CN AshwathnarayanDr Shalini NalwadHCG HospitalMission COPE
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  • Dr Sudha

    My husband was covid positive symptomatic with severe pneumonia,when no antivirals and immunomodulators helped, doctor’s opted plasma therapy,my heartfelt thanks to mission cope team who timely managed the need with qwalitative plasma,by which my husband turned towards the recovery path.. thanks to Dr Shalini and team.