PATNA: Considering the acute shortage of anti-fungal drug Liposomal Amphotericin B at health facilities, the state government has provided Posaconazole drug to ensure that the treatment of mucormycosis or black fungus patients is not hampered.
Additional chief secretary (health) Pratyaya Amrit said apart from 1,700 vials of Amphotericin B injection, the department has provided 2,780 tablets of Posaconazole (100mg) to hospitals.
“In case of non-availability of anti-fungal injection, the hospitals can give medicines to treat mucormycosis patients.
The state has sent a requisition to the Centre about the requirement of anti-fungal drug for uninterrupted treatment of black fungus patients in Bihar,” he said.
Number of mucormycosis cases has increased to more than 520 in the state.
The number of black fungus at AIIMS-Patna has jumped to 90 with seven more admissions in the last 24 hours.
So far, 16 such patients have died at the hospital.
Dr Sanjeev Kumar, nodal officer for Covid-19 at AIIMS-Patna, said the hospital has received 500 vials of Amphotericin B injection and 1,000 tablets of Posaconazole.
“Almost 80% patients need this injection.
On an average, each patient needs 6-7 vials depending on their weight,” he said.
“Amphotericin B is the drug of choice for treatment of black fungus.
It takes minimum 17 days and maximum a month to treat the mucormycosis patients by administering the injection regularly.
However, in absence of injection, the doctors give three tablets of Posaconazole (second best anti-fungal drug) per day to a patient.
The efficacy of this drug, however, is less,” Dr Sanjeev said.
In view of rising cases of mucormycosis, AIIMS-Patna has started four more operation theatres (OTs) to increase the number of surgeries from 4-5 a day to 10.
Earlier, only two OTs were there for mucormycosis patients.
Only emergency OTs will be operational at AIIMS-Patna.
Dr Manish Mandal, medical superintendent of IGIMS-Patna, said all 500 vials of Amphotericin B injection were administered on patients, the day they received the drug.
“Posaconazole can be used on mucormycosis patients only after they receive Amphotericin B injection for at least ten days,” he said.
The IGIMS had 110 mucormycosis patients on Thursday.
Seven suspected patients were admitted to the hospital and one black fungus patient was discharged on Thursday.