Mucormycosis med stock adequate: Officials

So far, 4,200 cases of the fungal infection have been reported in the State, of which only less than one-third were active, said Health Department officials. 

“There is no short supply of antifungal drugs required for mucormycosis in the State currently; the availability is adequate to treat the current patients. Most of the patients were successfully treated using the medicine stock available with us,” said State Drug Controller Dr K Sivabalan. 

Recently, the Department of Pharmaceuticals had said it was not needed to allocate Liposomal Amphotericin B to states and Union Territories as the cases have come down and supply position also improved considerably. 

Meanwhile, chemists and druggists in the State said antifungal drugs were available in large quantity, as the cases have declined. These antifungal drugs were ordered in large volume when Mucormycosis cases were rising in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere, said S Ramachandran, president, Tamil Nadu Druggists and Chemists Association. 

“Now the wholesale stocks are full but the demand is low. Even if there is a sudden rise in mucormycosis cases, the availability of the antifungal medicines is adequate to meet the demand,” Ramachandran added.