Dr. Sohail Rao: Plasma urgently needed for COVID-19 patients

EDINBURG, Texas - Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 should consider donating plasma to help save the lives of others. This is the message from Dr. Sohail Rao, MD, president and CEO of DHR Health Institute for Research and Development.“Right now, which is very unfortunate, most of the plasma we are infusing into the patients, is actually coming from the national stockpile. It is not coming from the region, it is not coming locally from Hidalgo or Cameron counties,“ Rao told The Rio Grande Guardian in a Zoom interview.“So, right now I am basically begging and borrowing plasma from Boston, from Arizona, from North Carolina, all the way up to Seattle.”Rao explained that the Institute for Research and Development is a nonprofit that facilitates the donation of plasma from recovered/suspected COVID-19 patients and their family members. “Due to the critical increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Rio Grande Valley, donated plasma will be used to treat patients in local hospitals who are fighting severe and life-threatening COVID-19 infections,” he said.“All eligible donors will undergo antibody testing during screening to determine the presence of antibodies in their blood. These results will be shared with the participant.”Rao added: “There is no cost to participate, and if eligible, you will be provided with compensation for your participation.”If interested, please call (956) 215-3166 or (540) 444-2318.Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.