Govt allocates 170,000 vials of Amphotericin-B to states, UTs: Gowda

Amphotericin-B drug is used to treat black fungus infection

The government has allocated an additional 1.7 lakh vials of Amphotericin-B drug, used to treat black fungus infection, to states and union territories, Union Minister Sadananda Gowda said on Wednesday.

"Ensuring adequate availability and smooth supply of #Amphotericin-B across the country, additional 1,70,000 vials of the drug have been allocated to all the States/UTs & Central Institutions today," the chemicals and fertilisers minister tweeted.

Gowda added that an additional 15,520 vials of the critical drug have been allocated to Karnataka.

"So far, a total of 40,470 vials of the drug have been allocated to the state including today's allocation for timely treatment of patients," he said.

Amphotericin-B is used to treat Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, which damages the nose, eyes, sinuses, and sometimes even the brain.

Mucormycosis can be life-threatening in diabetic or severely immuno-compromised individuals such as cancer patients or people with HIV/AIDS.

The doctors in India are documenting an alarming number of cases of Mucormycosis among patients with COVID-19 and those who have recently recovered.

They believe that Mucormycosis may be triggered by the use of steroids, a life-saving treatment for severe and critically ill COVID-19 patients.