Shortage of antiviral drug hampers the fight against black fungus

Bengaluru:  Many patients infected with mucormycosis or black fungus face difficulty as doctors in private hospitals prescribe a vital anti-fungal drug that is unavailable in the market.

Experts and Covid-19 trackers say that there could be an increase in the number of deaths if Liposomal Amphotericin B, which is an important anti-fungal drug, is not available.

As the supply of the drug is limited, the doctors in private hospitals are giving prescriptions to the family members of the patients and asking them to find it on their own.

Private hospitals purchase the drug from the state drug contollers’office and government hospitals get their supply from the Karnataka State Drugs Logistics and Warehousing Society. Usually, a patient is given 5mg per kilogram of body weight of the drug.

“Where do we get Liposomal Amphotericin B when it is unavailable with chemists?” wonder patients’ kin. Private hospitals advise that they get it from government hospitals, but it is easier said than done.

Government hospitals are also struggling with limited supply. Dr Sujata Rathod, director, Minto Ophthalmic Institute said, “There were instances of patients coming to government hospitals seeking a bed when they had got a bed in private hospitals.” She said, “It’s untrue that state-run hospitals get a better supply of the drug. We are facing shortages too. We are treating 54 patients, but we have got only 100 doses. Each patient requires five doses a day.”

Another doctor told that this could increase mortality in severe cases. Every patient requires at least two weeks of hospital care.

Private hospitals not only ask the family members of the patients to get the drug on their own, but also say that the quality of privately sourced drugs is questionable. Also, if the drug turns out to be of no use, they would not be accountable for it.

Dr Gaurav Madikeri, ENT surgeon and programme director of the skull base unit at HCG Group of Hospital said that he was not sure about the authenticity of the drug when it is procured by patients’ kin. He said, “We take it in writing that if there are any complications in the patient after administering the drug, we cannot be held responsible because it is not a pure drug.”

Dr Deepak Haldipur, ENT surgeon, Trustwell Hospitals said that the government is supplying only a little amount of the drug when it is needed in large quantities. He said, “I won’t blame the government as there is a shortage everywhere.”

Dr BT Khanapure, state drug controller said that supply is based on indents raised by hospitals every day. He said, “There is a huge shortage of the drug. If all the hospitals ask for 100-150 doses each, it isn’t easy to meet that demand.” He denied sharing the exact number of doses available with his office.