Cong wants fungus tackled fast

Ensure adequate production, supply of meds to states: Sonia to Modi

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday wrote to the Prime Minister on acute scarcity of drug and mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, not covered under the insurance policies.

Referring to the Centre directing the states to declare it as an epidemic under the Epidemic Diseases Act, she said: “This means that there must be i) adequate production and assured supply of essential medicines to treat it and ii) cost-free patient care for those in need of treatment.”

Sonia referred to the reports of acute scarcity of Liposomal Amphotericin-B, absolutely essential for treatment of the disease. Further, she said the illness is not covered in Ayushman Bharat (promoted by PM) and other health insurance products.

She urged the Prime Minister “to kindly take immediate action on the matter to bring relief to the larger number of patients being affected by mucormycosis.”

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers DV Sadananda Gowda announced after a detailed review of rising cases of mucormycosis in various states, a total of 23,680 additional vials of Amphotericin-B have been allocated to all states/UTs on Saturday. He said the allocation has been made based on the total number of patients which is approximately 8,848 across the country. Gujarat (5,800) and Maharashtra (5,090) have been allocated the maximum number of the additional Amphotericin-B vials followed by Andhra (2,310), MP (1,830), Rajasthan (1,780), Karnataka (1,270).

Meanwhile, a 55-year-old man who recovered from Covid in Jabalpur has been detected with the white fungus or Aspergillu Flavus infection, making him the first to have the ailment in MP.

Further, boy, 15, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, has been detected with black fungus a week after recovery.

It is only in India that there is an epidemic of black fungus along with the Covid pandemic due to the inefficiency of Modi system. There is shortage of vaccines as well as medicines. And to deal with this, the PM will be telling people to clang utensils and clap.

— RAHUL GANDHI, Congress leader