Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has said that the Federal Government is working on research, using plasma from the blood of recovered COVID-19 patients to treat people infected with the virus.
The minister disclosed this on Sunday while answering questions from newsmen in Abuja on the possibility of using plasma of recovered coronavirus patients to treat serious cases.
Ehanire, who spoke at a news conference to commemorate the World Blood Donor Day (WBDD), also said that some research institutes were already working on the new research.
He explained that plasma of patients recovered from COVID-19 is called Convalescent plasma.
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“It’s believed that persons who suffered COVID-19 and have recovered will have antibodies inside their plasma, which can be used to treat others.
“It can be used to treat others who are not able to build antibodies fast enough or those who are suffering from a severe form of coronavirus.
“Yes, our research centres are participating in looking at what advantages and benefits can come out of convalescent plasma.
“I’ve seen this particular research in Lagos; it’s part of what will be studied, and the result will be published, so research is going on.”
