Bengaluru : Revenue Minister R Ashoka who is also the vice-chairman of Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority has written to Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers DV Sadananda Gowda to allocate the required number of vials of Liposomal Amphotericin B for treatment of black fungus (Mucormycosis).

He said that currently Karnataka was the second highest burdened State in the country with Covid19 cases and the positivity rate was about 30 pc over the previous week. The rate of discharge of Covid-19 patients has also increased. However there is a rise in the number of cases of post Covid -19 sequel. Mucormycosis is the major disease which is a public health concern with a high mortality rate. Anti-fungal medication plays an important role in the treatment of Mucormycosis and the drug of choice is Liposomal Amphotericin B Injection. When compared to Amphotericin B Emulsion and conventional Amphotericin B Injection (which cause Nephrotoxicity). Liposomal Amphotericin B Injection is preferred, as it causes less Nephrotoxicity.

“The number of cases of Mucormycosis as per the statistics collected by the Directorate of Health Services, as on 19.05.2021 is 144 from both private and Government hospitals across the State. The Karnataka Government has issued guidelines through Circular bearing No. HFW 163 ACS 2021, dated 18.05.2021 to treat Mucormycosis cases. As per this the requirement of the said drug for each patient is approximately 70 vials, which may extend upto 360 vials. As on date, 144 cases of Mucormycosis are reported in the State of Karnataka, and it is expected to increase two fold in the coming fortnight. At this rate, the current requirement of Liposomal Amphotericin B Injection could be approximately 9,800 vials per week (which may also increase). No manufacturer situated in Karnataka is manufacturing Liposomal Amphotericin B Injection. Hence, request to allocate the vials”, he said in a letter.