Egypt's Minister of Health and Population Hala Zayed, announced on Sunday, that 4,400 donors have visited the plasma collection centres, as part of the national plasma donation project for the industrialisation and self-sufficiency of plasma derivatives. The project was launched on the 14th of July. Donors are received at 6 plasma collection centres distributed in 5 governorates nationwide, in which the project was launched. 20 additional centres are also scheduled to be completed and equipped by the end of the year. The 6 working centres are Dr Ihab Serag El-Din Center for Blood Transfusion and Plasma Collection Services in Agouza, Giza, the Regional Center for Blood Transfusion in Dar es Salaam, the Regional Center for Blood Transfusion and Plasma Collection in Abbasiya, Cairo, the Regional Blood Transfusion Center in Alexandria, the Regional Blood Transfusion Center in Tanta, Gharbia, the Regional Blood Transfusion Center in Minya. Additional 20 centres are scheduled to be completed during the current year. Working hours in plasma collection centres have been extended throughout the week, from 8 am until 10 pm. The 6 centres operate with a capacity of 99 plasma-separating devices. The project contributes to achieving self-sufficiency in plasma derivatives to provide medicines for the treatment of many chronic diseases, blood diseases, liver, kidneys and burns. Donors' age should be 18 to 60 years, and over 50 kg weight, according to the regulations announced by the ministry. They also need to have a proof for a positive PCR test for the virus, proof for two negative tests, and plasma donation should be 14 days after the last negative test and showing no symptoms of the disease. The supervisor of the National Plasma Donation Project, Dr Nevin Al-Nahhas, said that the plasma donation process should be conducted once every two weeks to ensure the preservation of the health and safety of the donors. She pointed to the benefits of donating plasma, the most important of which is activating the donor's bone marrow to produce new blood cells, activating the body's systems responsible for renewing plasma proteins, in addition to conducting a free periodic examination for the donor, which includes all diseases and viruses, to check on his health.
