111 cases of Mucormycosis (Black Fungus Infection) havebeen reported from various parts of Punjab up till Monday. This was revealed byHealth & Family Welfare Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu. He said that 25 ofthese cases have been reported in the Government health facilities, whereas theremaining 86 have been reported from various Private hospitals.
Health Minister further informed that these cases aremainly found in the patients who have recently recovered from COVID-19 or areimmuno-compromised (suffering from HIV or Cancer etc.) or the patientsrecovered from COVID with help of steroids/immuno-modulators, patients who wereon oxygen support for a long time or people having uncontrolled diabetes.
Mr. Sidhu said that to treat this disease, anti-fungal drugsare required and the supply of these drugs is regulated by the CentralGovernment. There are two major injections available which are being providedto the states by Union Government. No one can procure these medicines from theopen market directly as their distribution is under the sole purview ofGovernment of India.
Health Minister informed that Expert Group of PunjabGovernment has finalized the treatment protocols and an expert committee hasbeen formed to advise the treating hospitals/physicians as per treatmentprotocols for Mucormycosis.
The expert committee comprises Dr. R.P.S. Sibia, Prof& Head, Department of Medicine, Government Medical College, Patiala, DrSanjeev Bhagat, Prof & Head, Department of ENT, Government Medical College,Patiala, Dr. Avtar Singh Dhanju, Associate Prof & Head, Department ofMedicine, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Dr. A.K. Mandal, DirectorPulmonology, Sleep, and Critical Care Medicine, Fortis Hospital, S.A.S. Nagar(Mohali), Dr Manish Munjal, Prof & Head, Department of ENT, DayanandMedical College, Ludhiana, Dr. Mary John, Prof & Head, Department ofMedicine, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana and Dr. Gagandeep Singh Grover,State Program Officer (IDSP) as theconvener of the committee.
Mr. further said that any treating hospital requiringadvice on the treatment of this disease can approach this committee on e-mailaddress mucorpunjab@gmail.com or on mobile no. 8872090028 (Dr. GagandeepGrover). Any hospital requiring Inj. Liposomal Amphotericin-B and Inj.Amphotericin-B can also approach this committee and injections shall be madeavailable subject to the availability from the Government of India since thesedrugs are regulated by GoI. However, at present due to restricted supply, thiscommittee would examine the requests and ensure that the basic requisitequantity of the medicine is provided to the hospitals which require theseinjections on priority for treating the patients of Mucormycosis (Black FungusInfection) admitted with them.
He said that all patients of this disease will have to benotified by the treating institution/physician as the disease is now a notifieddisease in Punjab state.
Mr. Balbir Sidhu further stated that symptoms ofMucormycosis (Black Fungus Infection) can include facial pain or swelling,stuffy nose or brown nasal discharge, toothache, loose teeth, redness, pain orswelling of the eye, fever, shortness of breath, headache, altered sensorium,double or blurred vision etc.
If anyone has any such symptoms, he/she should report tonearest health facility at the earliest, he added.