Procuring medicine for #Blackfungus a big challenge in #Telangana

K. T. Rama Rao Working President of TRS, Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Industry & Commerce, Information Technology, through his twitter handle @KTRTRS on May 20, 2021 1:13 AM tweeted a update that

https://twitter.com/KTRTRS/status/1395102878621069312

To all those who’ve been seeking medicines for Black Fungus/Mucormycosis, please send an email to dme@telangana.Gov.in and ent-mcrm@telangana.Gov.in in the format given below You can also send the same via Twitter to @DMETELANGANA with a copy to @KTRoffice so we can follow up.

Directorate of Medical Education(DME) through it’s twitter handle @dme_telangana on May 20, 2021 12:49 PM, has tweeted a update that

Apply for Black fungus drug Amphotericin B to ent-mcrm@telangana.gov.in click for form https://dme.telangana.gov.in/openfile.php?f=888 should be submitted by treating hospital @KTRTRS  @KTRoffice

https://twitter.com/dme_telangana/status/1395277979446509569

in case of requirement of Drugs like Liposomal Amphotericin B, Posaconazole and Isavuconazole, which are used to treat black fungus; the hospital authorities (where the black fungus infected patient is being treated ) have to put an online application requesting the allotment of those drugs for that hospital/patient.

After the application is received through the hospital management desk, will be scrutinized by committee consisting of DME, Superintendent of ENT Hospital and HoD of Department of ENT, Gandhi Medical College. After a thorough scrutiny the committee will indicate the name of the stockist from whom medicine can be purchased. 

One should note that @dme_telangana twitter account was created in the month of July 2017 is active only from 20th May, 2021.  

KTR Sir, never quoted @dme_telangana twitter account in his tweet which was tweeted on 20th May 2021. KTR Sir quoted twitter handle @DMETELANGANA in his tweet. @DMETELANGANA twitter is not operating since 2018 November.

Two twitter handles for Directorate of Medical Education(DME) : @DMETELANGANA , @dme_telangana It is confusion to every one which twitter account should follow for important updates.

As per KTR Sir’s tweet which was tweeted on 20th May, if any individual/patient/patient relatives put a request through online application for the above mentioned drugs, few of them got a reply mail from @dme_telangana saying that the medicine requisition should come from hospital where the patient is admitted and getting treated.

This ambiguity in the procedures are leading to delay in the procurement of the drugs that are used to black fungus and other life saving medicines. 

Imagine the turmoil of the patients and those who sent a mail requesting medicine again they have to request through the hospital until and unless KTR sir update that he will take care of all the old request of Black Fungus and other life saving medicines.

Now, the patients/individuals who have already sent a requisition letter are in a confused state of mind whether they will get the permit or will have to send another application through the hospital authorities where the patient is admitted.  

If this ambiguity among the patients/patient’s relatives/hospital authorities persists, it may lead to delay in the treatment of the patient and this delay may also cause irreparable damage to the patient’s health. 

Although media has quoted the online process for acquiring black fungus drugs, there is no clarity whether the requisition should be made by the hospital authorities or by individuals. 

Government is taking all possible measures to curb the illegal sale of these drugs.  But imagine the condition of hospitals/patient’s from rural areas will they be able to acquire the drug where internet is a constraint and where there is poor literacy rate.   

So, I request the Government, Honorable KTR Sir, Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Industry & Commerce, Information Technology and Directorate of Medical Education(DME) to take proper care to convey this process to the rural and unreachable areas through all the possible means of media (TV, News paper, SMS etc).

The lesser ambiguity, quicker the treatment and faster the recovery. Kindly note to clearly mention the procedure for acquiring drugs and such that there would not be any delay in the treatment. I also request the committee, dme@Telangana to approve the applications put by the individuals who have put the requests based on KTR Sir’s comments. 

Several times I have asked those who are handling KTR twitter handle to update the communication properly.

I have made  several   requests to KTR Sir through twitter to update the procedure properly but did not receive any response. Therefore through News meter Citizen Journalism, I would like to make one more attempt to request our Telangana Government and Honorable KTR Sir to clearly mention the appropriate procedure for acquiring black fungus or any other life saving medicines.