Shortage Of Black Fungus Drug; HC Asks Centre To File Affidavit

New Delhi: The new threat of black fungus infection, or mucormycosis, is worrying medical experts amid the COVID-19 pandemic in India. The Centre has even asked states to declare it as a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Act.

Compounding problems, there is a shortage of Amphotericin B, the drug used to treat mucormycosis.

The Delhi high court on Thursday asked the Union government to file an affidavit within three days, detailing the steps it has taken to ramp up production of Amphotericin B.

“We are afraid that mere doubling of production may not suffice. It is not clear as to when the augmentation of production could be done in actual production. The Centre should immediately look into this aspect. A status report should be filed detailing the present production, the producers, their capacity, their enhanced capacity and by when can the enhanced capacity be put in use,” a high court bench observed.

Union minister of state for Chemicals & Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya said that the shortage will be resolved soon.

“The existing pharma companies have already started ramping up the production (of Amphotericin B). Indian companies have also placed orders for importing 6 lakh vials of Amphotericin B. We are leaving no stone unturned to smoothen the situation,” the minister tweeted on Thursday.