THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Any people who are under treatment for black fungus infection at private hospitals in the state have landed in trouble, as the healthcare providers are charging exorbitant rates. This has caught many patients and their families off guard and pushed them into huge financial debt. Also, the unavailability of the highly expensive antifungal drug, Liposomal Amphotericin B, for treating the disease is adding to their woes.
Kerala has recorded around 64 black fungus/mucormycosis cases and 15 deaths so far. Currently, around 45 patients are under treatment in the state, while five have recovered. According to patients’ families, the high-end medicine for treating the disease costs around Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 daily at private hospitals.
Recently, the Maharashtra government had capped the treatment rates for black fungus in private hospitals following growing complaints. Though the Kerala government has made the government medical college hospitals the nodal hospitals for black fungus treatment, little efforts are being taken by the authorities to make available the medicine in the private sector as well. Due to shortage, the state has announced that only the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd (KMSCL) can procure these medicine.
“My uncle was diagnosed with black fungus infection on May 18. I contacted the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital (MCH). But unfortunately, no bed was available there. He needed emergency surgery too, and hence we approached a private hospital here. Per day, the medicine alone costs around Rs 70,000 here. This is not affordable for me, but I cannot give up on my uncle who has no other family members. It’s been more than two weeks now and I am in huge debt. He will be needing two more weeks of treatment here,” says Preetha (name changed).
“I am struggling to arrange the medicine for him everyday. It’s been 40 to 50 days since black fungus cases started being reported in the country. It’s really unfortunate that the government has hardly taken any measure to make the life-saving drug available widely. The government should intervene and cap the treatment cost and make the medicine available at an affordable rate,” she added.
Preetha is one among the many who have landed in huge financial constraints.“The daily medicine alone costs around Rs 55,000 and it’s unaffordable for me,” said the wife of a 52-year-old black fungus patient admitted at a private hospital here. “When he was diagnosed with the infection, the ENT specialist told me that I should not waste even a minute. He needed emergency surgery and the MCH was my first choice. But when I took him to the MCH, I found that it would take a long time for diagnostic tests. I was advised by the doctors and nurses there that he might lose his eyes. They said his brain might also get affected if the surgery is delayed any further. All I wanted was him alive. Hence, I immediately went to a private hospital, unaware of the huge treatment cost there. And now I have to continue his treatment here as it’s dangerous to shift him now. We are not from a sound financial background,” said Lalitha (name changed), a native of Thiruvananthapuram. “Alternative medicines for Liposomal Amphotericin B are available, but these have side effects. We are forced to use those medicines nevertheless, because we are left with no other option,” she added.
State secretary of Indian Medical Association (IMA) P Gopikumar said the government should cap the treatment cost at the private hospitals and make available medicines at affordable cost. “The Central government has taken the initiative to scale up production of antiviral drugs for treating black fungus. Considering the current situation, the government should procure and distribute medicines for both the public and private sectors. Just like the way the government capped the treatment cost for Covid-19, prices of masks and PPEs, measures should be taken to regulate the rates for treating black fungus cases in the private sector as well,” said Gopikumar.
Meanwhile, a senior health official stated that it will take more time to make the medicine available. “Once the production is scaled up, there will not be any scarcity,” the official added.The Central government has sanctioned licences for more companies to ramp up the production of Liposomal Amphotericin B. “The government should have anticipated the situation and stocked more medicine. Another option was to invite tenders and procure the medicine directly from the company and make it available via Karunya pharmacy. The government should also take the issue up with the Centre and make an effort to produce it here,” an official said.