Hordes of COVID-19 patients from neighbouring States have been arriving in Telangana for treatment.
Now, those suffering from Black Fungus are also travelling all the way from other States and knocking on the doors of the government hospitals here. Authorities in Hyderabad have come across at least two such cases so far.
‘Find options near home’
However, senior officials of the Health department have urged Mucormycosis (Black Fungus) patients and their families to explore the options of treatment at a medical college close to them rather than thronging a health facility in Hyderabad.
“Severe Black Fungus cases need surgical interventions and medicines. The surgical services are offered by ENT units in any medical college. And there is shortage of anti-fungal drugs everywhere. We advise the patients and their families to approach the nearest medical college rather than coming to a single hospital, overcrowding and wait in queue for treatment,” a senior official said, adding that at least two patients from Karnataka districts which share a border with Telangana have arrived here.
Nodal centre
In Hyderabad, the 200-bed Government ENT Hospital at Koti was declared as the nodal centre for treatment of the fungal infection. Only those who are COVID-negative can be admitted.
Mucomycosis patients who are COVID positive or in need of multidisciplinary treatment, such as pulmonary involvement, will be admitted at Gandhi Hospital in Musheerabad.
The senior official added that the government medical colleges in Telangana have also been directed to attend Black Fungus cases and not to refer all the patients to government hospitals in Hyderabad.
