Maharashtra to get 60,000 vials of mucormycosis drug from June 1: Rajesh Tope

Health minister Rajesh Tope

Maharashtra would get 60,000 vials of Amphotericin-B, the key drug for the treatment of mucormycosis patients, from June 1 onwards through the global tender floated by the government in addition to the allocation made by the Centre, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Tuesday.

There are 2,245 patients of mucormycosis, also known as the black fungus, in Maharashtra, Tope told reporters after attending a review meeting on the mucormycosis and Covid-19 cases in the state.

"The state has floated a global tender for procuring Amphotericin-B vials for the treatment of mucormycosis. The state would get 60,000 vials of the medicine from June 1 onwards. It will be an additional supply apart from the current allocation of the medicine by the Centre," he said.

The minister said there are 2,245 patients of black fungus in the state and out of them, 1,007 are already covered under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY). "The entire cost of the treatment of mucormycosis patients under the MJPJAY will be free, including the cost of the medicine. The state is also trying to cap the cost of the treatment of mucormycosis patients who are admitted in private hospitals," he said.

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Tope said the Maharashtra government has issued a GR (government resolution) regarding such treatment and the finance department has allocated '30 crore for the same. There have been several cases of mucormycosis, a rare but serious fungal infection, among Covid-19 patients in Maharashtra and some other states. Speaking about the pandemic scenario, Tope said Maharashtra currently has 3,27,000 active Covid-19 cases while the case recovery rate has improved to 93 per cent. Maharashtra's current case positivity rate is around 12 per cent while the case fatality rate is 1.5 per cent, he said.

"The state government has decided to stop home isolation completely in these 18 districts. The collectors are asked to set up more Covid-19 Care Centres (CCCs) and admit all the active patients there," he said. It is also decided to use 25 per cent funding of the 15th finance commission for erecting CCCs and similar facilities for isolation of Covid-19 patients in villages and rural areas, the minister said. The collectors have been directed to use the premium charged for the minor mineral auction for setting up the CCC in the villages, he said.

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