The Delhi government has set up a four-member technical expert committee (TEC) to prevent the indiscriminate use of Amphotericin-B injection and to establish a transparent and efficient system of distribution of this drug to the needy and hospitalised COVID-19 patients.
The drug is used in the treatment of black fungus or mucormycosis.
The expert committee will be headed by Pulmonologist Dr M K Daga, and include Dr Manisha Aggarwal, Dr S Anuradha and Dr Ravi Mehar from Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC).
According to the official order by the health department dated May 18 said all COVID-19 hospitals requiring Amphotericin-B for treatment of patients will have to apply to the expert committee, which will meet twice a day to scrutinise these applications and facilitate rapid decision making "as time is of the essence in such cases".
"The guiding principles for TEC shall be evidence-based clinically approved parameters as well as principles of equity, distributive justice and transparency," the order read.
The guidelines further directed the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to coordinate with the TEC and facilitate rapid decision making and also monitor the overall management of the drug from approval till delivery to the hospital concerned.
It said the decision of daily meetings will be conveyed to all the stakeholders through e-mail and reasons for refusal will be written and informed to the requisitioning hospitals and the daily summary of the decision of the TEC and the allocation made to the hospitals will also be displayed on the website of DGHS/Health Department.
On the recommendation of the TEC, the DGHS shall issue the drug to the authorised representative of the Government Hospital/institution concerned or the CFA/Stockist shall release to the authorized representative of the private hospital concerned (in this case, on a payment basis) as the case may be.
The government concerned or private hospital will submit a report regarding usage of the drug for the approved patient only and it will be the personal responsibility of the Hospital Administration of the institutes requisitioning Amphotericin- B to ensure the appropriate use of prescription medicine, prevent any misuse/pilferage, coordination with health authorities and to keep proper records so that they are available for audit purpose later, it said.
"In special circumstances, Principal Secretary (H&FW) may allocate injections to any Government Hospitals/ Hospitals run by Government Agencies on special recommendation by the treating doctor," it added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Dr MV Padma Srivastava, Head, Department of Neurology, AIIMS said that the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, is reporting more than 20 cases of 'Black Fungus' (Mucormycosis) disease on a daily basis.
Dr DS Rana, Chairperson, Sri Gangaram Hospital, informed that the hospital has as many as 48 admitted black fungus patients and 16 are in the waiting list.
The rare fungal infection called 'mucormycosis' or 'black fungus' is on the rise in several parts of the country, including Delhi.
As per the Union Health Ministry, mucormycosis or black fungus is a complication caused by a fungal infection.
People catch mucormycosis by coming in contact with the fungal spores in the environment. It can also develop on the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut, scrape, burn, or other type of skin trauma.
( With inputs from ANI )
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