Red Cross grapples with shortage in 4 divisions

In Lko, Red Cross Society has been able to distribute 115 amphotericin B injections against the need of 720 vials

LUCKNOW: The Red Cross Society that has been entrusted with distributing the injection amphotericin B for the treatment of mucormyosis or black fungus in Lucknow, Meerut, Agra and Varanasi divisions of Uttar Pradesh is grappling with shortage in supply while the waiting list grows longer. The state has reported more than 600 cases of black fungus and over 20 deaths.

In Lucknow, the Red Cross Society has been able to distribute 115 amphotericin B injections against the need of 720 vials. The situation is of greater concern in Meerut, Agra and Varanasi.

While patients admitted to government-run medical facilities get the injections at the government hospitals, those at private hospitals need to obtain it from the Red Cross or the open market. There are hardly any injections in the open market.

“Yesterday, we got 25 more vials of the amphotericin B injection, which took the total number of vials received since May 20 to 115 as two more lots of 40 and 50 vials had been received

earlier. The demand of 720 vials, which had come on May 20 from 40 patients, still remains unfulfilled,” said Indian Red Cross Society (Lucknow) chairman Om Prakash Pathak on Wednesday.

In Meerut, additional director Dr Rajkumar admitted a shortage of injections against the demand. So far, they have received only 150 injections.

In Varanasi, Red Cross Society (Varanasi) secretary Dr Sanjay Rai said, “The injections are most likely to be received within two days.”

In Agra,Dr AK Gupta, secretary of Red Cross Society (Agra), said, “An individual order has not been received nor injections for treatment of black fungus are being provided to us so far.”