Survivors
march-April-may 2020 | The Health Xtra
15
Patient turns donor
Recovered Covid-19 patient, Reza, chosen to donate blood
plasma for Covid-19 treatment
by Khirtini K Kumaran
R
Reza Huzairi Zayn working from his
isolation ward at Hospital Sungai Buloh.
eza Huzairi Zayn, 41, a recovered Covid-19 patient,
is ever so grateful to be the first Malaysian chosen to
donate convalescent plasma to be made into blood
serum, which will be used for Covid-19 treatment.
Reza is Covid-19 patient Case No 46. He and a few
colleagues caught the Covid-19 virus in the second
wave. He has recovered and now shares his experi-
ence as a positive case-patient and for the donation
of convalescent plasma.
In his Facebook post, dated April 2, Reza shared his experience
in the isolation ward. A circumstance he has never imagined
himself subjected to and yet now something he would remember
for the rest of his life.
He was warded for 11 days at Hospital Sungai Buloh (HSB).
Being locked up in a room for 24 hours for 11 days, one is bound
to become depressed, which he said should not be taken lightly.
Not to mention the constant thoughts and concern for himself
and others, especially his wife and children and his staff.
He was worried if the virus had spread to them.
Instead of wallowing in depression, he chose to focus on his
work. During the 11 days, he worked from the ward and was
determined to strengthen himself and his willpower to recover.
Sometimes, fatigue kicked in, and the body would feel weak.
Perhaps his antibodies were working overtime to combat the
virus, he thought.
After his test results were negative twice in a row, he was
discharged on March 14. Upon recovery, Reza followed up with
regular checkups in HSB, and after two weeks was informed he
was chosen as a convalescent plasma donor. The donated plasma
would be tested, and if successful, it would be used as a serum for
Covid-19 treatment, aiding to faster recovery.
Reza was chosen because his antibodies worked great fighting
the Covid-19 virus. He also does not have any chronic diseases and
has not been under any medication for a long time. These criteria
made him the perfect donor candidate.
Reza urged everyone to stay healthy as it may be beneficial
not just for ourselves, but for others around us.
“According to the doctor, I am the first Malaysian to donate my
blood plasma for this research,” Reza wrote in his Facebook post.
Reza Huzairi Zayn donating blood plasma for research at National
Blood Centre.
He feels proud and grateful to have the chance to help
Covid-19 patients through blood plasma donation. The amount
extracted would only be enough for a few patients, and Reza
hopes to donate again in two weeks. He also shared more recov-
ered Covid-19 patients would be called in to give.
Reza also took the opportunity to thank and share an appre-
ciation for the Ministry of Health (MoH), especially the doctors,
nurses and medical staff involved with Covid-19 patient treat-
ment as well as doctors and nurses at the National Blood Centre.
His prayers are also always with them. — The Health Xtra
Covid-19 patient motivated to recover
The sincerity of
healthcare providers
inspires Hamdan to
pull through
“It hurts,
you know.
Truthfully,
it hurts.”
– Hamdan
By Camilia Rezali
This is a story about 31-year-old Hamdan Hashmuddin, who was
infected by the deadly Coronavirus. This is a story of a Covid-19
survivor! Hamdan first revealed his condition on Mar 13 through
a Facebook post. Being open about his experience has now made
him a household name.
According to Hamdan, his case was classified as a government-
linked company (GLC) cluster case. The viral infection was
chained from his father, who attended a meeting with the GLC.
For Hamdan, the symptoms of Covid-19 were blatant. He stated
in the post: “When I inhale, I couldn’t draw in deeply and I will
start to cough. The cough is dry with no phlegm.”
He admitted it was an uneasy feeling.
It was a rough time for Hamdan. While waiting for the results
of his throat and nasal swab tests, he had a terrible fever. After
the results came out that he was positive for Covid-19, Hamdan
was rushed to Tuanku Jaafar Hospital in Seremban. During the
first five days in the isolation ward, he felt frail. He suffered from
diarrhoea and a bad headache. But Hamdan confessed he really
felt motivated by the healthcare providers for him to get back
into shape.
Through a video interview conducted by a home healthcare
service, Hamdan shared his experience in the isolation ward and
after being discharged from the hospital. He said he felt safe and
well-taken care of throughout his days in the isolation ward.
“Honestly, I was amazed by the healthcare providers. I truly
felt the sincerity. One healthcare provider said to me ‘we really
want you to recover so that we can help many other patients to
recover too’,” Hamdan said.
It was a heartwarming moment for him. It showed how much
care the frontliners have for the patients. It was excruciating
and lonely to be restricted to an isolation ward and parted from
even family for 16 days. After being discharged from the hospital,
he self-quarantined for 14 days. What saddens him is when some
people openly show discomfort around him.
Even in the case of his father's colleague, when he returned
to office, some co-workers kept their distance and excluded him
from specific tasks.
“It hurts, you know. Truthfully, it hurts,” he added.
The experience as a Covid-19 patient has taught Hamdan
humility. He now understands the sufferings of AIDS patients.
Hamdan is just thankful to be able to take deep breaths now.
— The Health Xtra