The Bombay High Court bench of Justices Sunil Shukre and Avinash Gharote on Monday ordered the Maharashtra government to spell out if it has devised any protocol to treat Mucormycosis, which is also known as the Black Fungus disease, a post Covid disorder. The HC has also ordered the authorities to specify the amount of funds Nagpur and Vidharbha region have received by industrialists under the corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The bench while hearing a clutch of petitions led by a suo motu PIL taken up last year regarding the Covid crisis was informed that there is a rise in cases of people suffering from Mucormycosis after being treated for Covid.
Advocate M Anilkumar for one of the petitioners told the bench that it must issue directions to the state authorities for making available the drug "Amphotericin," which is presently being used for treating the patients infected with the Black Fungus disease.
"Presently, there is a shortage of this drug," Anilkumar told the bench.
The bench, however, noted that there was nothing placed on record to show the treatment protocol for this disease.
"This Court is not aware of any protocol having been devised by the Union government and/or State government for combating the Black Fungus disease. It is also not known as to which drugs are expected to be the part of standard treatment to be given to the patients having Black Fungus disease," the judges said in their order.
"We shall be benefited if the state government apprises this Court on this issue. The parties are also at liberty to enlighten this Court on this aspect," the judges added.
During the hearing the judges were further informed that Nagpur district and the Vidharbha region has received around Rs 15 crores under CSR funds which would be used for installing oxygen manufacturing plants at seven hospitals. It was further told that some more companies have agreed to donate some amounts.
The bench, however, noted that the chart didn't specified the names of the companies and the amounts they donated. "On the next date of hearing the authorities to submit a chart, giving names of the companies, the funds available under the CSR head and the proposal of the company for spending the CSR fund," the bench directed.
The matter would be next heard on Wednesday morning.
