New Delhi
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday wrote to the Prime Minister on acute scarcity of drug and mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, not covered under the insurance policies.
Referring to the Centre directing the states to declare it as an epidemic under the Epidemic Diseases Act, she said: “This means that there must be i) adequate production and assured supply of essential medicines to treat it and ii) cost-free patient care for those in need of treatment.”
Sonia referred to the reports of acute scarcity of Liposomal Amphotericin-B, absolutely essential for treatment of the disease. Further, she said the illness is not covered in Ayushman Bharat (promoted by PM) and other health insurance products.
She urged the Prime Minister “to kindly take immediate action on the matter to bring relief to the larger number of patients being affected by mucormycosis.”
"It is only in India that there is an epidemic of black fungus along with the Covid pandemic due to the inefficiency of Modi system. There is shortage of vaccines as well as medicines. And to deal with this, the PM will be telling people to clang utensils and clap," said Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader.
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers DV Sadananda Gowda announced after a detailed review of rising cases of mucormycosis in various states, a total of 23,680 additional vials of Amphotericin-B have been allocated to all states/UTs on Saturday. He said the allocation has been made based on the total number of patients which is approximately 8,848 across the country. Gujarat (5,800) and Maharashtra (5,090) have been allocated the maximum number of the additional Amphotericin-B vials followed by Andhra (2,310), MP (1,830), Rajasthan (1,780), Karnataka (1,270).
Meanwhile, a 55-year-old man who recovered from Covid in Jabalpur has been detected with the white fungus or Aspergillu Flavus infection, making him the first to have the ailment in MP.
Further, boy, 15, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, has been detected with black fungus a week after recovery.
MP, U’khand, Bihar declare infection a notified disease
MP, Uttarakhand and Bihar governments declared black fungus or mucormycosis a notified disease in the three states. The MP Public Health and Family Welfare Dept on Friday issued an order, in which it notified black fungus under the provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act and the Madhya Pradesh Public Health Act. And, with black fungus cases rising in Uttarakhand, it was declared a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Act, 1897 on Saturday. Four persons died in Damoh and Balaghat districts of MP. In Uttarakhand, 64 have been infected; of them, 4 died.
