Pre-identified hospitals in Mumbai & other Maha districts to offer free black fungus treatment now

In a bid to ease the treatment of post-COVID ailments across Maharashtra, the state government has decided to provide free treatment for mucormycosis infection. On Monday, the administration told the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court that it will cover the treatment for black fungus under the Mahatma Jotiba Phule Jan Aarogya Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) across the state territory. As per reports, pre-identified hospitals and nursing homes in Maharashtra will offer zero-cost treatment under the healthcare schemes.

Black fungus rise in Maharashtra

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Black fungus infection is a very rare infection and its increased frequency in recovered and recovering COVID-19 patients is raging an epidemic storm in several Indian states. It is primarily caused in people with low immunity due to prolonged steroid use, uncontrolled diabetes, comorbid conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS or organ transplant and voriconazole therapy.

Previously, the state had issued an advisory telling doctors to screen patients for the fungal disease pre and post-discharge to minimise the chances of increased infection. This directive was issued based on a study that concluded that 3 out of every 10 COVID patients reported symptoms of mucormycosis during or after recovery.

As per reports, Maharashtra and Gujarat have reported the maximum share of this fungal infection, as a fatal post-COVID complication. Medical experts have highlighted that it usually strikes within 12 to 18 days of coronavirus recovery and has a 50% mortality rate. Amid this rising threat, the state of Maharashtra has undertaken a slew of measures to treat mucormycosis effectively and the provision of free treatment is its latest approach.