Expert committee approving only 2 vials per day for black fungus patient in Haryana

Mucormycosis (black fungus) patients’ kin alleged that the expert committee formed by Haryana director general health services is approving only two vials of anti-fungal medicine, liposomal amphotericin-B, per day to each patient against the demand of 4-7 injections.

As per data accessed, the expert committed had allotted two vials each to nearly 220 patients on Tuesday while nearly 18 patients could not get the vials because the prescribing doctor’s sign and UHID were missing and some patients were asked to submit after re-investigation.

Anurag, of Dadri, said his brother-in-law has been admitted at a private hospital since May 23 but they got only two vials on Wednesday.

“The doctors are asking us to arrange at least four vials per day or his situation can worsen. Patients’ details have been uploaded on the portal but we got only two vials in four days. Doctors said that if they get four vials per day, they will scrape off the fungus,” he added.

Rohit Kumar, of Hisar, said his uncle is admitted at Maharaja Agrasen Medical College, Agroha (MAMC) in Hisar and his health is deteriorating as he could not get vials as his UHID and prescribing doctor’s sign were missing.

“We are hoping to get the vials on Thursday but two vials are not enough,” he added.

Union minister for chemicals and fertilizer Sadanand Gowda tweeted that Haryana had 436 black fungus patients till May 25 and 1,110 vials of amphotericin-B drug, used in treatment of mucormycosis, were allocated to Haryana.

Dr Aditya Bhargava, head of ENT department at PGIMS, said 60 vials are averagely required to treat a black fungus patient.

PGIMS, Rohtak medical superintendent Dr Pushpa Dahiya said 104 black fungus patients are undergoing treatment at the institution and they had received over 100 vials on Tuesday, and all of these were used.

“I have talked to the expert committee and asked them to provide us more vials so that we can treat patients effectively and aggressively. We can start with liposomal amphotericin injection, and switch to other drugs if that is not available. Amphotericin-B deoxycholate is also effective, but can cause kidney damage,” she said.

“We are exploring other drugs that can be used to treat black fungus patients in shortage of liposomal amphotericin. I told the doctors to share details of new confirmed cases with the expert committee so that they can provide us vials after accessing a patient’s case,” she added.

Dr Jasneet, nodal officer at World Medical College, Jhajjar said they got only 10 drugs and eight patients are undergoing treatment at the institution.

One of the state expert committee members, Dr RS Chauhan, head of ophthalmology at PGIMS, said they are equally distributing anti-fungal drugs to the patients.

“Once we get new supply, we again distribute it equally to all patients undergoing treatment,” he added.

“We had already sent the prescription of 60 vials per patient. Some patients need 2-3 vials per day and some need more. We have to see the severity of the patients. We are receiving two vials per patient in two to three days of time because of shortage of drugs. We are giving the allocated drug to patients for whom it is approved,” Dr Bhargava added.