Panaji, Jul 4 (IANS): Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Saturday lauded the Kerala government for implementing some of the best practices in Covid-19 management, even as he announced a blood plasma collection drive in the state from patients who have recovered from the viral infection.

Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Rane said the state government was in the process of procuring rapid nasal swab testing kits, which are currently being used by the Kerala Health Department for faster testing of suspected Covid-19 cases.

"I just spoke to the Kerala Health Minister about plasma transplant. They have tried in their state on eight patients who were critical and the patients have recovered with the treatment. We have asked our doctors to get in touch with their Kerala counterparts to learn their best practices," Rane said.

The Health Minister said that the state's central blood bank had the capacity to store 4,000 units of plasma, which he said could be a lifesaver for critical Covid-19 patients.

Rane added that an awareness campaign would be carried out by the state Health Ministry to motivate cured Covid-19 patients to donate their blood plasma.

"FM and other mediums will be used to motivate them to donate their plasma in order to save other lives," Rane said.

The Minister said that the key to keeping Covid-19 under check was the speed with which testing is carried out. The Kerala Health Ministry had sent a nasal swab testing kit to the Goa government which can yield results in just half an hour, he informed.

"Kerala has sent us a nasal swab rapid test kit. The Kerala government is using this. The only answer to Covid is fast, speedy testing," Rane said, adding that government doctors involved in Covid-19 management in the state were being asked to familiarise themselves with the new swab kits.