Image Courtesy: hindustantimes.com
Amphotericin B Emulsion, an injection used for the treatment of Mucormycosis will now be manufactured by the pharma company- Genetic Life Sciences. Mucormycosis, commonly known as Black Fungus, is a deadly infection rapidly spreading among Covid-19 patients. As of Wednesday, more than 11,000 cases of the infection have been detected across the country and the Union Health Ministry has now asked all states to declare the infection a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897
Union minister Nitin Gadkari’s Office claimed that till now the injection was being made by a single company in India. Its availability was scarce and hence the injection was being sold for Rs 7.000. Now, the Maharashtra based pharma company Genetic Life Sciences will manufacture and sell the Amphotericin B injection at the cost of Rs 1200.
केंद्रीय मंत्री श्री @nitin_gadkari जी की कोशिशों से कोविड के बाद तेज़ी से फैल रहे ब्लैक फंगस इन्फेक्शन के इलाज के लिये वर्धा में जेनेटेक लाईफ सायन्सेस ने Amphotericin B Emulsion इंजेक्शन तयार कर लिया है। अब तक भारत में एक ही कंपनी इसका उत्पाद करती थी। pic.twitter.com/X5M0IsCnp2
— Office Of Nitin Gadkari (@OfficeOfNG) May 27, 2021
Mucormycosis is a dangerous infection whose symptoms include sinusitis, one-side facial pain or numbness, blackish discolouration over the bridge of the nose or palate, toothache, blurred or double vision with pain, skin lesion, thrombosis, chest pain and worsening respiratory symptoms. If not treated properly, the infection can kill a person. According to ICMR guidelines, to prevent the deadly infection, blood glucose must be checked constantly among post-Covid and diabetic patients, steroids, antibiotics & antifungal medicines must be used judiciously and clean water must be used in humidifier while giving oxygen therapy.
Meanwhile, PM Modi has taken seriously the rising cases of Black Fungus and has “instructed officials to get this drug from anywhere it is available in the world,” a source told news agency ANI.