Angara's team launches website for plasma donation from COVID-19 survivors

Senator Sonny Angara, a COVID-19 survivor, encouraged fellow recovered patients to donate their plasma as he introduced a website specifically designed to make it more convenient in the Philippines.

The Plasma ng Pag-asa website allows COVID-19 survivors to register and help convalescent plasma transfusion possible for patients with severe infection.

Through this process, the antibodies of patients who recovered from COVID-19 are transferred to those critically ill.

"It’s time COVID-19 survivors pay it forward! My office, with help from Bacolod-based web developer Talking Myna, developed #PlasmaNgPagasa, a one-stop-shop website where COVID-19 survivors can privately register with collecting hospitals their intent to donate convalescent plasma," Angara said in a Facebook post.

The senator said his team has, so far, partnered with the Philippine General Hospital, Lung Center of the Philippines, and St. Luke's Medical Center (BGC and QC) and that expansion of the network is being eyed.

"Some studies suggest that convalescent plasma from COVID-19 survivors can help those who are critically ill to recover faster from the disease. While more research is needed, a University of Texas at Austin peer-reviewed study has found that the experimental treatment is completely safe," Angara said.

"Sa madaling salita, mas may pag-asa, ‘pag may plasma," he added.

Angara donated plasma again on Thursday.

 

 

 

 

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Donating plasma again. Praying it can help save someone ???????????????? #covid19 #plasmatherapy

A post shared by sonny angara (@sonnyangara) on

Jul 1, 2020 at 10:40pm PDT

Angara tested positive for COVID-19 in March. He was one of the three senators who got infected with the virus—along with Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III.

After winning his battle with the disease, Angara donated his plasma in April.

In May, he tested positive for COVID-19 again just when he was about to make another donation. The Department of Health (DOH) explained that Angara may no longer be infectious and that what was detected were only remnants of the virus.

As of July 1, there are over 10,000 recovered COVID-19 patients in the Philippines, based on data from the DOH. -MDM, GMA News