Hyderabad: The state government will supply the drug, liposomal amphotericin B, to hospitals for treatment of the black fungus infection.
The government has also formed a task force in the health department to regulate its supply, in order to ensure its overuse, abuse and black marketing. This panel will evaluate the cases and accordingly allocate the supply.
The Telangana drugs control administration has asked stockists and distributors to supply the injections to hospitals directly but after approval from the task force. There exists a severe shortage of the medicine as production is limited.
Dr Ramesh Reddy, director of health and medical education said, "We will get the stocks in two to three days and this is to be used judiciously. Those who require it will be supplied. There are alternative medicines too and doctors would use them."
At the Government ENT Hospital and Gandhi Hospital, there are a total of 50 black fungus cases currently under treatment.
Dr Reddy said the recovered Covid19 patients must adopt preventive steps like wearing of masks at home so that the nose is protected. Fungus from the air invades the nose. “Invasive fungal infection starts due to the immune-compromised state of the body. Wearing face-mask at home for a month after recovery, till the immunity level improves, will help.
It is also important for sugar levels to be checked for diabetes. “Random blood sugar is an indication of the fluctuating sugar levels in the body.”
Dr Reddy says, "Early diagnosis helps. Hence early symptoms of dark moulds in the nose, facial pain, jaw pains must be evaluated in Covid19-recovered patients. Those patients given steroids for treatment must be more careful. Early intervention helps. Endoscopic surgeries will help remove the fungus."
Black fungus is not infectious and it will not affect others in the family. Due to the infectious nature of Covid19, many are worried whether the infection will affect the entire household.
Health officials say black fungus can be tackled with preventive steps in patients who have recovered and they advised doctors to use steroids only when required.
Tocilizumab to be given after patient check
The director of health and medical education has received several applications for the drug tocilizumab. Officials say this will be supplied only after checking the markers of the patient. There is indiscriminate use of medicines, but this high-end drug is not to be used without clearance from the government.
Fearing a range of side-effects due to these high-end medicines, the government has effected restrictions on the supply of these drugs, stated Dr Ramesh Reddy.
