New Delhi: Former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu on Tuesday urged Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Sadananda Gowda to regulate the prices and supply of medicine used in the treatment of Mucormycosis, a fungal infection, to ensure that no artificial shortage is created.
In a letter to Gowda, he said that it has been noticed that pharmaceutical companies have raised the prices of Amphotercin, a drug used in the management of this infection and shortage of this medicine has also been reported.
"I would request your urgent intervention in this matter to regulate the prices and supply of the medicine for this deadly Mucormycosis infection to ensure that no artificial shortage is created," Prabhu said.
He added that there has been an increase in the cases of this disease.
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Niti Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul on Friday said Mucormycosis, a serious but rare fungal infection, is being found in COVID-19 patients and largely in cases of those who are diabetic.
On Monday, Maharashtra Government announced that Mucormycosis patients will be treated for free under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana since the medicines required to combat the fungal infection are expensive.
Symptoms of Mucormycosis include headache, fever, pain under the eyes, nasal or sinus congestion and partial loss of vision.
(With Agency Inputs)
