HUBBALLI: As many as 15 people have lost their eyesight due to mucormycosis (black fungus) at KIMS Hospital in Hubballi in the last two months. The hospital has treated more than 150 cases of black fungus since May and performed more than 130 endoscopic surgeries. Sixty patients have recovered.
Fifteen people have lost their eyesight to the infection and a few have lost their vision in one eye. Meanwhile, attendants of patients allege delay in supply of Amphotericin-B, the drug used to treat black fungus, as the reason for their kin losing eyesight.
In the beginning, there was a huge shortage of the drug in the district. Later, it was streamlined and also the demand reduced owing to a drop in fresh cases. A senior doctor said a few people lost their vision as they came late to the hospital for treatment.
“After admission, experts treated them and performed surgeries to remove the infected part. The hospital managed to treat patients with alternative drugs. Now, there is a good supply of Amphotericin-B,” a doctor added.