Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Thursday said Mucormycosis or black fungus infection is now a notifiable disease and no hospital or medical centre having the capacity to provide treatment should deny admission to patients.
He said an official government order towards this will be notified soon.
Sudhakar, who is also in-charge of the Medical Education Department portfolio in a series of tweets said the treatment of post-covid Mucormycosis or black fungus found in some cases requires multi-disciplinary approach involving ENT specialist, anaesthetist, ophthalmologist and maxillofacial surgeon.
Since all these specialist doctors are available in our District Hospitals and Government Medical Colleges, people can avail treatment for Mucormycosis in these hospitals apart from Bowring Hospital in Bengaluru and other designated regional hospitals, he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan too said black fungus cases must be brought to the notice of the government authorities, as it is a notifiable disease.
"Government is providing treatment for black fungus in all the 6 division centers of the state and Mysuru Medical College will be providing the treatment in this region.
Apart from this, the treatment is available in private hospitals also," he was quoted as saying by his office in Mysuru.
The Dy CM, who also heads the state's COVID task force said the drug required to treat black fungus is at present being imported and now a few companies have come forward to manufacture it here itself.
"Once the production begins here, it would resolve the issue of shortage of the drug," he said.