Ramp Up Stocks Of Alternate Drugs For Black Fungus: Punjab Chief Minister

Amarinder Singh stressed on the need to ensure that every patient stands a chance to recover from Black Fungus.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday ordered ramping up of stocks of alternate drugs for the treatment of mucormycosis, popularly known as Black Fungus, amid a shortage of the Amphotericin drug. Punjab has so far reported 188 cases of Black Fungus with 23 deaths due to it. As the state has only Liposomal Amphotericin B injections in stock and just 880 more such vials are expected to be received today, the Chief Minister stressed on the need to strengthen alternate drug stocks as recommended by the expert group constituted by the state government to deal with the crisis, a government statement said. Amarinder Singh, who chaired a COVID review meeting in Chandigarh, stressed on the need to ensure that every patient has a chance to recover from Black Fungus, a disease reportedly caused by overuse of steroids in Covid patients, especially those suffering from diabetes.