A doctor performs endoscopic sinus surgery on a patient, who is suffering from Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, at Harsh ENT hospital in Ghaziabad, on the outskirts of New Delhi. (Photo: REUTERS) Delhi has had more than 1000 cases of mucormycosis during the COVID second wave, said Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday.
Jain had stated that till Wednesday, the city had recorded 1044 cases of the otherwise rare fungal disease, a spike in which strong links have been drawn between COVID, the use of immunosuppressants such as steroids in its treatment and diabetes. The disease is known to have a high mortality rate. Of those who have been affected by the disease so far, 92 patients have recovered fully but 89 have died.
Speaking about vaccine supply shortage in the city, Jain said, “I understand that many people who have taken the first jab of Covaxin are not getting the scheduled second jab in Delhi. The situation has become like this because of the mismanagement on the behalf of the central government.”
Alleging that the central government has changed the schedule of vaccination, Jain said, “Had the central government given us the required number of vaccines, then there would have been no problem… Earlier the central government told us to vaccinate more and more people… We wanted to vaccinate the citizens of Delhi on war footing because we want to save lives. There is no point in saving vaccines.”
He said, “According to the central government, 50% of the vaccines will be with the Centre, 25% will be given to the states and 25% will be given to the private partners. I think it is high time to rethink this policy and rework it. When a state is ready to vaccinate its citizens then that state must get the required number of vaccines. The Delhi government is fully prepared to vaccinate the entire population but we are not getting it. We are buying these vaccines and giving them for free to the citizens but due to the policy of the central government, we are not getting the required amount. The whole control over the vaccines and the price of the vaccines are with the central government. The cost of the vaccines in the private hospitals is also monitored by the central government.”
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