Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has urged him to ensure there is adequate production of essential medicines and free care for those in need of treatment for mucormycosis (black fungus).
The Centre has asked States to declare mucormycosis an epidemic under the Epidemic Diseases Act.
Ms. Gandhi pointed out that there was an acute shortage of Liposomal Amphotericin B, which is key for treatment of the disease.
“Further, the illness is not covered in Ayushman Bharat and other health insurance products,” she wrote.
She asked Mr. Modi to take immediate action on the matter for the relief of the large number of patients afflicted by the disease.
