Bhopal hospitals face shortage of Amphotericin B as black fungus cases rise

Amid the worrying rise of black fungus cases across the country, hospitals in Bhopal have run out of Amphotericin B injections, a drug used to treat patients who develop the illness while undergoing treatment for COVID-19.

The injection has been out of stock at the Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal for the last three days. Many gathered at the hospital on Sunday to get treatment for their loved ones but had to go back disappointed.

A poster has been put on the wall above the medicine counter to tell people that injection is not available in the hospital today.

There are currently about 600 cases of black fungus registered in Madhya Pradesh. A separate unit has been set up in the Medical College but it is difficult for patients to recover without the injection.

Santosh Dubey, who had come from Hoshangabad to the Gandhi Medical College in Bhopal to get the medicine for his son-in-law is admitted to a private hospital, lamented at the state of affairs and said that his family was left helpless and they had no guarantee if he would survive another day.

"The store is closed today because it is Sunday and my patient is in serious condition. We came here for injection on reaching, we saw the board here that says it is not available. Where should I go? I don't have options left. The government is not able to do anything in this matter," he said.

He added, "Here we are being told that the counter will open tomorrow but we need it today. There is no guarantee that the patient will be able to survive until tomorrow."

Another patient's family member, Rajni Singh, whose father has been admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal for black fungus treatment since May 15, said that they have not been able to get their hands on the required medicines.

"My father has been admitted to AIIMS for over a week. He has black fungus. He needs injections but the medication is not available in any market," Singh said.

Madhya Pradesh Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang, while speaking toon Sunday, said the state was facing a shortage of Amphotericin B injection and said fresh supply is expected to reach tonight.

"There is definitely a shortage of Amphotericin B, medicine for black fungus, in the whole country, but we are treating people by rationalizing the way we supply at different levels every day. Experts have also found an alternative to this, which is being done through oral medicine," he said.

He added, "People must show self-discipline and ensure not to come out of their houses during the next 7 days and reduce the intensity of the coronavirus. This will help us in withdrawing curfew in June."

Several states, including Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu and Bihar, have declared Mucormycosis or Black Fungus as an epidemic disease under Section 2 of the Epidemic Disease Act 1897.

Madhya Pradesh on Sunday reported 3,375 new positive cases, 75 deaths, and 7,587 recoveries in the last 24 hours.

There are currently 57,766 active cases in the states. The total positive cases stands at 7,64,338.

( With inputs from ANI )