Mucormycosis: Maharashtra may have over 2,000 cases of ‘Black fungus’
The Maharashtra authorities has determined to make use of hospitals connected to medical faculties as remedy centres for Mucormycosis, a severe however uncommon fungal an infection now affecting coronavirus sufferers, mentioned Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Tuesday.
Symptoms of Mucormycosis, also referred to as black fungus, embrace headache, fever, ache beneath the eyes, nasal or sinus congestion and partial loss of imaginative and prescient.
He mentioned, “There could be over 2,000 Mucormycosis patients in the state as of now and with more and more COVID-19 cases coming up, their number would increase for sure.”
The state authorities has determined to pick hospitals connected to medical faculties for remedy of Mucormycosis sufferers because it calls for a multidisciplinary method, Mr Tope mentioned.
He mentioned black fungus has a 50 per cent mortality charge and is present in COVID-19 sufferers with suppressed immunity or co-morbidities.
“A Mucormycosis affected person must be seen by numerous specialists corresponding to ENT, ophthalmologists and neurologists amongst others. We are attempting to cowl most of the remedy beneath the Mahatma Phule Jan Aarogya Yojana (the state’s flagship well being scheme), the minister mentioned.
Commenting over the expensive remedy, he mentioned, I shall be writing to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority to deliver down the MRP of medicines wanted for Mucormycosis remedy.”
Amphotercin-B is a key drugs required for remedy of such sufferers. Haffkine (a state-run pharma agency primarily based in Mumbai) goes float a young for one lakh injections of the drug, Mr Tope mentioned.
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