[Mucormycosis Outbreak In UP] Plea Before Allahabad HC Seeks Declaration Of Black Fungus As An Epidemic, Guidelines For Altering Covid Treatment

While stressing on the need to ensure integrated and coordinated treatment of Mucormycosis or black fungus, a plea has been filed before the Allahabad High Court seeking its intervention to declare it an epidemic in the State, and to put judicial machinery in motion with respect to the current situation.

The application has sought directions to the State of UP to make Mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the UP Public Health & Epidemic Disease Control Act read with Epidemic Diseases Act, so all government and private health facilities will follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of Mucormycosis as issued by the government, ICMR or any other State instrumentality.

Further, directions have been sought to make it mandatory for all medical facilities to report all suspected and confirmed cases to Health Department through the District level Chief Medical Officer and to Integrated Disease Surveillance System.

The reliefs have been sought through an application seeking permission to intervene in the already pending suo moto case before the Court, regarding Inhuman condition at quarantine centres and providing better treatment and corona positive.

The application has emphasized the need for the UP government to issue guidelines for altering the treatment for covid 19 patients, especially considering the recent ICMR advisory which has pointed out that several material changes need to be made in the covid treatment.

The application has also proposed some data for formulating robust and comprehensive measures which can be taken to flatten the curve and spread awareness among the public with regard to Black fungus and prevent its further outbreak.

The applicants have clarified that their intention is not to create any kind of friction in the working of the government's machinery but the spread of this new infection strain has created a state of fear and panic in general public calls for appropriate and robust measures to be formulated at the earliest along with spreading public awareness.

The applicants have stated that no specific guidelines or advisories have been issued by the government of Uttar Pradesh and its instrumentalities to combat the spread of Black Fungus and advisories issued are not material and effective in combating the outbreak of this infection

The application has pointed out the need for incumbents to regularise procurement of oxygen cylinders of good quality and ensure strict compliance with safety measures, as according to various reports Mucormycosis appears to be a side effect among covid patents put on oxygen support.

While citing the example of Rajasthan that recently declared Mucormycosis as an epidemic in the State after some 100 cases were reported, the applicants have brought to notice that even UP has reported cases from several cities.

According to the applicants, immediate steps should be taken by the government targeting risk groups who should be made aware of symptoms and precautions that ought to be taken to prevent the spread of Mucormycosis through the digital platform by conducting 'mass treatment programs' and widespread circulation of treatment guidelines.

While pointing out that management of black fungus patients is a team effort requiring several specialists, the applicant has said that dedicated hospitals having such teams need to be identified in each district for treatment.

The application has sought judicial intervention in form of formulation of a committee of experts comprising of doctors from different fields and administrative officers who can formulate guidelines for standard treatment practices and make them followed in UP, considering the cases of both black and white fungus.

The present intervention application has been filed by Advocates Ishan Giri, Vipul Shukla, Namman Rajvanshi and Mr Siddharth Jain.

Father, the Gujarat High Court on Monday (May 17) observed that the second wave of the COVID Pandemic was spreading fast in the rural areas because of the lack of availability of RT­PCR facilities and other infrastructural facilities.

The Bench of Justice Bela Trivedi and Justice Bhargav D Trivedi also directed the Central Government to place on record the information of the general public at large, about the vaccination policy adopted by the Central Government.

Significantly, taking note of the alarming rise in the cases of 'Black Fungus' disease(Mucormycosis), the Bombay High Court(Nagpur Bench) has highlighted the need to reduce the prices of the drugs used for its treatment, and to regulate their production and distribution.

A division bench comprising Justices Sunil B Shukre and Avinash G Gharote was told about the high cost of the drugs for 'Black Fungus'. The bench was also informed that the quantity and dosage of the drugs are high.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday sought the assistance of the States of Punjab, Haryana, and UT of Chandigarh on the steps to curb the spread of black fungus after expressing concern regarding preventive steps.

Also, Observing that doubling the present production capacity of Amphotericin B drug, used to treat Black Fungus may not be sufficient, the Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Centre to file status report indicating the present production capacity of the medicine, along with the enhanced production capacity of producers who have been licensed to produce the aforesaid drug.

Earlier the Delhi High Court had sought Delhi Government's response on the stocks being held by it of the Amphotericin B drug used for treating Black Fungus and also about its supplies and process of distributing the same by tomorrow.

A division bench comprising of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh had orally observed:

"Tomorrow we want to know from you that how many stocks are there with you, what are your supplies and how will you distribute it?"