On Tuesday, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers D.V. Sadananda Gowda announced an allocation of additional 19,420 vials of Amphotericin-B to the states and Union territories.
Besides these 19,420 vials of Amphotericin-B, on May 21, 23,680 more vials of the drug were allocated to THE states and Union territories.
Amphotericin-B, an antifungal medication, is seeing a huge demand due to an increase in Mucormycosis cases, also known as black fungus, in the country.
Gujarat has been allocated the highest number of vials as the state has become A hotspot for Mucormycosis, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. These three states account for 60% of Mucormycosis cases in the country.
Dr Lavanya B.R., a general physician, said: “Black fungus is not something new and it does not just affect Covid patients but it can affect anyone who is on steroids with low immunity.”
The drug is a very common medication, she said, just like paracetamol for fever. However, they are variants in black fungus which affect different parts of your body like the eyes, nose, brain and lungs.
Maharashtra and Delhi have been reporting an acute shortage of the drug. If the cases keep increasing, experts say, India may need a lot more of Amphotericin-B than it has now.
