Shortage of Amphotericin-B to be resolved at the earliest assures Centre

With mucormycosis commonly known as black fungus spreading like never before, the antifungal drug Amphotericin-B used for its treatment is at a severe shortage in the country. The Centre assured to resolve the shortage at the earliest with the new drug approval granted to five pharmaceutical companies for production of the drug, according to the statement on Thursday given by Union minister of state for chemicals and fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya. He tweeted, “The existing pharma companies have already started ramping up the production. Indian Companies have also placed orders for importing 6 lakh vials of Amphotericin B. We are leaving no stone unturned to smoothen the situation,” as the Union Government directed the states and Union territories to consider black fungus or mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Act.

The occurrence of mucormycosis has become a common phenomenon amid the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, which can severely impact the eyes and the brain has become a bigger challenge for the states along with Covid-19.

Prof MV Padma Srivastava, Head of Neurology Department revealed that the count of cases of mucormycosis has crossed the three digit mark at AIIMS, New Delhi.

During the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the health ministers of several states on Thursday, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope mentioned that black fungus is the rising concern as the state is observing a gradual recovery with the Covid-19 cases. Tope added that 90 people in Maharashtra have died due to mucormycosis. Alongside, the Delhi Government has set up facilities in several hospitals for the treatment of Covid-19.

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