Indore reports shortage of black fungus treatment drug Amphotericin B
May 17, 2021
Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], May 17 : Amid the rising cases of black fungus infection in Indore, there is an acute shortage of Amphotericin injections in the city.
Cases of black fungus are increasing continuously in Indore. Amphotericin B is an antifungal medication used for serious fungal infections and leishmaniasis.
According to a government official, the government is working towards rationalising Amphotericin injections like an anti-viral drug Remdesivir and giving it to private hospitals.
Speaking to ANI, Indore Divisional Commissioner Pawan Sharma said, "The government has sent 100 injections today for use in the treatment of patients admitted to the Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital, Indore. 500 more are expected to come soon. If amphotericin is provided to the administration in large numbers, then it will be given to private hospitals in the same way as Remdesivir injections are being sent keeping in view the number of patients."
"For early detection of black fungus disease, daily check-ups of patients admitted to government super specialty hospitals will be done. A committee has also been formed to look into whether the person infected with black fungus has undergone the proper treatment of COVID or not. It will be checked if an overdose of steroids given to the patient or the doctors could not control diabetes during the treatment," added Sharma.
The Divisional Commissioner said there are three doctors in this committee and three other officers have been appointed for investigation. The investigation report is likely to come on Tuesday.
According to Sharma, there are about 125 black fungus patients in the government hospitals of the Indore division, while the information of death figures is not yet available to him.
Over 50 patients are admitted with black fungus disease to the MY Government Hospital in Indore.
When it comes to private hospitals, the number of black fungus patients has reached around 200 in Indore itself. Some patients also succumbed to the infection while some have lost their eyes.
As per the Union Health Ministry, Mucormycosis or black fungus is a complication caused by a fungal infection. People catch mucormycosis by coming in contact with the fungal spores in the environment. It can also develop on the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut, scrape, burn, or other types of skin trauma.
