The Centre has given new drug approval to five pharma companies to produce Amphotericin B as hospitals and medical specialists have been flagging Amphotericin B shortage as a hurdle in treating the disease. Hospitals have not received any supplies for the last two days. Existing pharma companies have already started ramping up production of the drug. Indian companies have also placed orders to import 6 lakh vials of Amphotericin B.
The Centre has asked all states to make mucormycosis a notifiable disease which would make it mandatory for all healthcare facilities to report suspected and confirmed cases to the health department. The move comes after a sharp increase in black fungus cases being reported across India as a post Covid recovery complication.
In a letter to state governments, joint secretary (health) Lav Agarwal has written: “You are requested to make mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, wherein all government and private health facilities and medical colleges will follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis, issued by the health ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and make it mandatory for all these facilities to report all suspected and confirmed cases to the health department through the district-level chief medical officer…”
So far, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan have made mucormycosis a notifiable disease. Rajasthan and Telangana have declared it an epidemic under the Epidemics Act. The health ministry has termed black fungus disease as a “new challenge” which would require a multi-disciplinary team of specialists.
“This fungal infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality among Covid-19 patients,” Agarwal has written.
IIT Madras, Zoriox Innovation Labs develop 3D-printed face implants for black fungus patients2023-12-26T11:51:45Z
