By Mahima Devkota, Kathmandu, June 4: The Beacon Pharmaceuticals Limited of Bangladesh will deliver the first installment of amphotericin B, medicine for Black Fungus, to Nepal tomorrow via land route.

According to the Department of Drug Administration, approximately 8,000 vials of amphotericin B will be supplied in various installments by the company starting tomorrow.

Santosh KC, Pharmacy Officer at the Department, said that Nepal has been always stockpiling the amphotericin B, delivered by India. However, a difficult situation arose when Indian banned export of this medicine owing to the surging cases of Black Fungus in India itself.

As a result, Nepal had to turn to Bangladesh for medicine as cases of Black Fungus have been emerging in Nepal as well. For that, Nepal consulted with three companies of Bangladesh for the supply of the medicine. Of them, Beacon is delivering amphotericin B tomorrow via land route.

He said, “Because of the emergence of Black Fungus infection in the country, the requirement of amphotericin B has increased. So, we are planning to stock the medicine for emergency purposes.”

In Nepal, Prime Pharmaceuticals has been given the responsibility for the distribution of medicines.  Hospitals treating COVID-19 infected patients will receive amphotericin B under priority. 

According to Dr. Sanjeev Bhattarai, assistant professor at the TU Teaching Hospital, Black Fungus, a mucormycosis infection, is found on air, land, and dead and decaying trees and edibles.

In normal conditions, it does not attack people. Black fungus is an opportunistic fungus. People that are immunocompromised because of infection and diseases are easily attacked by fungus and bacteria than in normal health conditions. People who have recovered from  COVID-19 but their immune power has been suppressed are found easily attacked by black fungus.