Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday that the government has chalked out a strategy with manufacturers to ramp up the domestic production of Amphotericin-B as well as to import the drug which cures mucormycosis or black fungus, which is a post-Covid complication.
His remarks came after he reviewed the requirement and supply position of Amphotericin-B on Tuesday. In a series of tweets, the Union Minister said, “Reviewed requirement and supply position of Amphotericin-B which cures mucormycosis. We have chalked out a strategy with manufacturers to ramp up domestic production as well as to import the drug from all over the world.”
Mandaviya informed that currently there is a sudden surge in demand but the supply of Amphotericin-B has increased manifold. “We have already improved the supply of Amphotericin-B by many folds. But currently, we are facing a sudden demand surge. Let me assure that we are committed to moving heaven and earth to make it available to needy patients,” said Mandaviya in another tweet.
He further stated that the government has outlined the system for the efficient distribution and supply chain management of Amphotericin-B.
Cases of black fungus infection have been rising across India, adding to the existing burden created by the second wave of Covid-19 in which the number of patients hospitalised has grown exponentially. The maximum cases have been reported from Maharashtra and Gujarat.
In a video which has gone viral on social media, a woman from Andhra Pradesh was seen crying and appealing for medical help for her husband who was diagnosed with mucormycosis after he recovered from Covid. Anji Babu, a driver, has already lost one eye to the black fungus infection. His wife, Kalyani, made the appeal after he started experiencing pain in the other eye.
He has now been admitted to a private hospital in Vijayawada by the state government. Doctors say they have to wait for two days before they can say whether the medication will work.
Stocks of the drug are running very low across the country. Even in big cities like Delhi, the drug is mostly unavailable.
Stating that the shortage is expected to get resolved at the earliest, Mandaviya has urged states to use the drug judiciously by strictly following the prescribed guidelines.