India faces shortage of drug used to treat ‘black fungus’

According to details, Amphotericin B, which is manufactured by many Indian firms, is also on sale on the black market.

People are complaining over the shortage as posting appeals on social media. Doctors say the infection could be triggered by the use of steroids in severely-ill Covid patients.

Mucormycosis is caused by exposure to mucor mould which is commonly found in soil, plants, manure and decaying fruits and vegetables.

It affects the brain and lungs and can be dangerous in diabetic or severely immunocompromised people, such as cancer patients or people with HIV/AIDS. Many patients arrive for treatment late, when they are already losing vision, and doctors have to surgically remove the eye to stop the infection from reaching the brain.

Courtesy: BBC