New Delhi: As cases of black fungal infection, a post-Covid complication, are being reported from all across the country, the National capital strives its way through. The Liposomal Amphotericin B injection, used in treating the rare fungal infection, is out of stock in drug stores across the state.
The pandemic now seems ravaging Delhi-NCR with shortage of drugs used to treat Mucormycosis. Social media platforms and Whatsapp are witnessing a tsunami of SOSs for the injection, sending many scrambling to hospital pharmacies across Delhi- NCR.
Earlier, an SOS was flagged by hospitals in Gurgaon, leading to the Haryana Government forming a panel to procure the injections.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Deepak Ohri said,” patients admitted to Noida hospitals who need treatment for black fungus are in a spot because Amphotericin B is not available in the district.” To this the Drug Inspector Vaibhav Babbar stated that the drug isn’t available in the market and can only be supplied to the hospital when the state receives vials from the centre
The other drug families sweat for is Tocilizumab, which has a complex requisition process and also needs a letter from the Meerut divisional commissioner for procurement. Since the drug hasn’t proved its effectiveness, it is not freely available. A waiting period of 24-48 hours, sometimes 72 hours is designated before one receives the vial.