MP: Cases Of Mucormycosis Surge Among Covid Patients; Centre Ramps Up Availability Of Black Fungus Drug

A team of doctors from the government-run Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal will interact with their counterparts in the US via video conference to discuss steps to check the spread of the fungal infection.

(Representative Image/Getty)

Bhopal: Expressing concern over increasing cases of black fungus infection in Covid-19 patients, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led dispensation has asked the state’s government doctors to hold consultations with their counterparts in the US on how to deal with cases of mucormycosis fungal infection among the coronavirus patients.

Madhya Pradesh Medical Education Minister Vishwash Kailash Sarang on Wednesday said a team of doctors from the government-run Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal will interact with their counterparts in the US via video conference to discuss steps to check the spread of the fungal infection.

In some cases of mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, a rare but serious infection, the affected part has to be surgically removed, PTI reported Sarang as saying.

Sarang, who held a meeting with officials of various government and private medical colleges last evening during which it was suggested that a protocol be laid down for the treatment of the fungal infection, said US-based infectious diseases expert Dr Manoj Jain, who hails from Madhya Pradesh, also took part in the meeting and gave suggestions on how to check the spread of COVID-19, its treatment protocol and focus areas during the third wave.

Meanwhile, the Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Ministry said the Centre is taking steps to ramp up availability of Amphotericin B - to fight mucormycosis.

Stating a sudden increase in demand has been observed in some states for Amphotericin B, which is being actively prescribed by the physicians to patients suffering from mucormycosis, the ministry said the Government of India is, therefore, engaging with the manufacturers to ramp up production of the drug and added the supply position is expected to improve with extra imports of this drug and  increase in its production domestically.

The Chemicals and Fertilizers Ministry said the Department of Pharma, has on May 11 allocated this drug amongst the states and Union Territories after reviewing the stock position with the manufacturers/importers and the demand pattern of Amphotericin B based on expected supply that will be available from May 10 to May 31.

The ministry further said the states have been requested to put in place a mechanism for equitable distribution of supplies amongst the government and private hospitals and health care agencies, adding states have also been requested to publicise in the state the ‘Point of Contact’ for private and government hospitals to obtain the drug from this allocation.

“Further, states have been requested that judicious use may be made of the stock that has been already supplied as well as stock that has been allocated. The arrangements for supply will be monitored by National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA),” the ministry said.

This comes as a number of cases of the fungal infection among Covid-19 patients have also been reported in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat with the doctors raising an alarm about mucormycosis, which can turn dangerous if left untreated.

The symptoms of mucormycosis include headache, fever, pain under the eyes, nasal or sinus congestion and partial loss of vision, as per the health experts.