HYDERABAD: Though the state has witnessed a slight reduction in the number of new admissions of black fungus patients, it does not mean there is a respite, opined ENT specialists in the city. The number of Covid-19 recovered patients suffering from black fungus continues to be high and admissions in city hospitals are mostly from districts.
The patients are from the age-group of 30 to 50 years and the maximum of those who are suffering from the disease are males.
Dr Janardhan Rao Jagini, head of the department and consultant ENT surgeon at the Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hospital, Secunderabad, says, “Patients are still coming with pain in the cheek, discoloration of the eyeballs and also invasion in the palate. We now have to give them amphotericin B in hospital setup only according to the new rules. For this reason, the stay of the patient is 15 days and they have to be monitored for reactions of medicines."
Apart from surgical interventions, amphotericin B and Posaconazole are being administered via injections only for better outcomes. Serious patients require monitoring of kidney, liver and heart functions also.
The Government ENT Hospital has completed a total of 370 surgeries of which 198 were on male patients and 172 females. Most of the patients had involvement in the eyes, nose and jaws region.
There are a total of 281 in-patients and there were 32 new admissions on Monday. Doctors say that there are admissions late at night also as some patients who are coming from far flung districts are reaching after 6 pm to the hospital. The night shelter outside the hospital has been set up for that reason. There are also doctors from the emergency section to attend to those who come late at night, said senior doctors at the ENT Hospital. There are 250 patients in Gandhi Hospital of which 100 have undergone surgeries in the last one week.
Meanwhile, the Central government has allotted 1,200 vials of amphotericin B to the state. There is a need to judiciously use these medicines, stated senior health officials, adding that the dispensation is only to hospitals based on reports of the patient.
A senior ENT doctor in a multi-speciality hospital says, "I have 30 patients and require 150 vials per day. It is tedious but there is no option right now for us and the patients’ attendants. There are also alternative injections used in hospitals set up after the first line of treatment is completed."
Amphotericin B Emulsion will be available in the market by next week, according to Celon Laboratories Private Limited. The drug will be supplied to hospitals and is being priced at Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,500 per vial.
Experts state that they will see a rush of black fungus cases till June as more and more patients recover from Covid-19.
