Andhra Pradesh buying 15,000 vials of medicine required to treat black fungus

The State Health Department has notified 17 government and teaching hospitals across the State to treat the disease.

The government issued an order for including the ‘Post- Mucormycosis Management’ procedure under Aarogyasri considering it an epidemic disease due to the rising number of cases among patients after recovery with uncontrolled diabetes, prolonged usage of high dose steroids and immunosuppressants. As per the GO, the new procedure for the disease includes a 14-day stay of the patient in the hospital where the disease is diagnosed and treated. As per the treatment protocol patients are given IV antibiotics, IV fluids, Liposomal Amphotericin B or oral Posaconazole for two to three weeks based on clinical evaluation. Meanwhile, Health, Medical and Family Welfare principal secretary Anil Kumar Singhal said that the State had placed an order for over 15 vials of medicine with three companies to treat mucormycosis in addition to the 1,650 allocated by the Centre.