MP hospital stops use of some black fungus injections after complaints from patients

INDORE: The state-run Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital (MYH) in Indore in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday said it had discontinued use of Amphotericin-B manufactured at a plant in Himachal Pradesh as a precautionary measure after 40 per cent of black fungus patients admitted in the facility complained of shivering on being administered the injections.

Some 220 black fungus patients admitted to MYH, which is associated with Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, were given one dose each of Lyophilized Amphotericin-B injection on Saturday and about 80 of these patients developed a severe cold, the college's dean Dr Sanjay Dixit told reporters.

"After this side effect of Amphotericin-B injections manufactured at a pharmaceutical plant in Himachal Pradesh, we have stopped administering it to patients as a precaution. We have received 3,000 vials of Amphotericin-B injection prepared at this plant," he said.

However, Dixit said Amphotericin injections causing side effects like fever, shivering and stiffness in 30 to 70 per cent of patients was well known.

Officials said 27 patients admitted in Government Bundelkhand Medical College hospital in Sagar had also complained of mild fever, shivering and vomiting after being administered this injection.

Officials said a consignment of 12,240 Amphotericin-B vials for black fungus had reached Indore by special aircraft on Friday.

These injections were procured from a pharmaceutical unit in Baddi in Himachal Pradesh and were sent to different hospitals across MP, they added.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress demanded a high-level probe into the issue, with its state spokesperson Neelabh Shukla saying fresh purchases must not be made from the Himachal Pradesh-based pharmaceutical unit in question till the end of the probe.