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Updated May 20th, 2021 at 11:43 IST

Black Fungus: UP faces Amphotericin shortage, only 636 jabs received against demand of 3k

As black fungus infection plagues the nation, India's largest state Uttar Pradesh is facing a severe shortage of Amphotericin injections required to treat it

Black Fungus, UP
IMAGE: PTI | Image:self
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As black fungus infection plagues the nation, India's largest state Uttar Pradesh is facing a severe shortage of Amphotericin injections required to treat the infection. Sources report that as opposed to a demand of 3000 vials of Amphotericin jabs, the state's hospitals have received only 636 injections from the state government. As of date, UP has 73 black fungus cases and 2 deaths till date.

UP faces Amphotericin shortage

Sources report that Lucknow hospitals have received only 384 injections from the UP Medical education department. Other districts have received - Meerut (66), Varanasi (30), Bareilly (36), Prayagraj (36), Greater Noida (6), Jalaun (6), Ambedkar Nagar (6), Aligarh (12), Agra (6), Jhansi (18) and Kanpur (30) injections respectively.  Doctors estimate that each patient will require 10-12 injections for treating black fungus and the demand may increase as the infection deepens.

States declare black fungus under Epidemic Act

Black fungus infection cases rise across India with Maharashtra reporting the highest - 2000 cases and 90 deaths, followed by Gujarat with 1163 cases. Madhya Pradesh has reported 281 such cases and 27 deaths, followed by Uttar Pradesh (73 cases, 2 deaths) and Telangana (60 cases). Telangana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana have notified Black fungus as a disease under the Epidemic Act currently in force in all states, to let patients avail treatment under govt insurance. 

Centre has advised people doctors and healthcare professionals to refrain from excessive use of steroids to treat COVID-19 patients to prevent side effects and complications such as black fungus. The govt has also roped in pharmaceutical manufacturers to ramp up production of Amphotericin B which was being prescribed by most physicians to treat Black fungus. Moreover, on reviewing the demand pattern for Amphotericin, the Centre's Department of Pharma has allocated the drug to states/UT from May 10 to May 31.

What is the 'Black Fungus' infection?

Mucormycosis is a fungal infection that mainly affects people who are on medication for other health problems that reduce their ability to fight environmental pathogens. While it is very rare, it can lead to loss of the upper jaw and sometimes even the eye. Sinuses of such individuals get affected after fungal spores are inhaled from the air. Warning signs include pain and redness around the eyes and/or nose, fever, headache, coughing, shortness of breath, bloody vomit and altered mental status. This infection has been witnessed in cases of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression by steroids, prolonged ICU stay and co-morbidities and required a team of microbiologists, internal medicine specialists, intensivist neurologists, ENT specialists, ophthalmologists, dentists, surgeons, and others for treatment. The medical treatment entails installing peripherally inserted central catheter, maintaining adequate systemic hydration, infusing normal saline IV before Amphotericin B infusion and conducting antifungal therapy for 4-6 weeks with patients monitored clinically and with radio-imaging.

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Published May 20th, 2021 at 11:43 IST

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