A multi-fold increase in cases of the fatal black fungus has been reported in the last few days in Haryana, besides a worrying shortage of amphotericin injections. Although the state government has demanded more vials of the injection from the Centre, an acute shortage continues to exist.
Haryana Health and Home Minister Anil Vij said that the shortage of the medicine cannot be denied and in the wake of this, the state government is leaving no stone unturned to fulfil the requirements.
The state government has also decided to import the medicine from abroad and put in its best to procure its quota from the Central government, added Vij. It is pertinent to mention that the state has demanded 12,000 vials of the medicine from the Centre, which has allocated 650 doses so far, which are yet to be received and will not be sufficient to treat the patients in the state.
Around 421 cases of black fungus have been reported in Haryana and several districts including Rohtak, Gurugram, Faridabad, Hisar and Ambala have been hit by the disease. According to information, the number of patients admitted in PGI Rohtak has gone up to more than 70. Most of them are being treated in the ENT ward.
The Union Health Ministry has made it clear that Haryana along with a few other districts has been allocated 75 percent of the quantity of the medicine while the remaining 25 percent will be allocated after the confirmation of patients. Meanwhile, the Haryana government has formed a committee to keep an eye on the demand and supply of the abovementioned medicine.