Nizamabad GGH performs first black fungus surgery

NIZAMABAD: In a first, the doctors at Nizamabad Government General Hospital (GGH) performed surgery on a person infected by mucormycosis to scrape off the fungus, on Monday. This was the first time that a hospital situated outside Hyderabad performed black fungus-removal surgery, in the State. 

The patient Sham Rao, 63, is a native of Gajulpet area in Nizamabad town. He had recently tested positive for Covid and successfully recovered from the virus infection after undergoing treatment. However, Sham Rao contracted black fungus soon and went to Hyderabad for treatment. Meanwhile, on learning that the GGH has started providing treatment to black fungus patients, he returned to Nizamabad and got admitted at the hospital. He has been under medication for the past two days, and the doctors performed surgery on him on Monday. 

The operation was conducted by a team of doctors belonging to various departments such as ENT, dental, anaesthesia and general medicine, and also with the support of GGH administrative team. Hospital superintendent Dr Prathima Raj said that they received all necessary equipment and medicines just two days ago. “We immediately decided not to waste any more time, got the equipment installed as soon as possible and took up the surgery,” she said. As on Monday, four patients were taking treatment in the black fungus ward at GGH.