Young graduates create platform to match Covid-19 patients with plasma donors

Recent graduates Karina Thakrar and Dr. Neil Pinto have created PINT (Plasma In Need For Transfusion) Network – a website that is based on a matchmaking algorithm that, quickly and efficiently, matches plasma donors with Covid-19 patients in need.

"We have been receiving a lot of calls and forwards from families of patients in critical condition in need of plasma. It was taking days for families to find a single donor and by the time they did, the patient’s condition had already worsened. We wanted to speed up this process in any way we could and building this platform seemed like the best solution within the confines of a lockdown," said Dr Pinto.

The network was created following the Indian Council of Medical Research’s approval of the use of convalescent plasma therapy in the treatment of Covid-19 patients that exhibit moderate symptoms. 28 medical facilities in the country have been approved to conduct trials for the use of this new therapy and, as a result, demand for plasma has increased greatly in the country.

PINT Network is a non-profit initiative that aims solely to facilitate the process of matching donors and patients, by working together with hospitals and plasma banks. Potential donors and patients can register at the website and fill out a registration form that details information like blood group and medical history. Then, the website’s algorithm finds accurate matches, according to the criteria provided by medical experts.

They are contacting hospitals and invite them to enter the network, in order to reach as much potential donors and patients as possible and provide the hospitals with a donors base for their clinical trials. “We are collaborating with hospitals across India to increase awareness about the convalescent plasma therapy, especially in the top eight cities where the spread of the virus is maximum,” said Dr Pinto.

Adapted from: https://www.cnbctv18.com/healthcare/new-online-platform-to-aid-covid-19-...
https://www.expresshealthcare.in/covid19-updates/pint-networks-story-fro...

More information: https://pint-b764d.web.app/home