New Delhi: One of the most painful legacies of the Covid-19 pandemic was the struggle families faced in securing treatment for mucormycosis, a severe fungal infection. Many were unable to obtain the necessary drugs in time, leading to complications and, tragically, deaths.
While the immediate drug shortage may have eased with the pandemic’s end, experts warn that the challenge of managing fungal infections persists. The scarcity of antifungal medications and the rising resistance to current treatments continue to pose significant concerns.
A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) sounds the alarm, warning that without urgent action to expand the availability of antifungal medications, the shortage could escalate into a public health crisis.
“Invasive fungal infections endanger the most vulnerable populations, yet many countries lack the necessary treatments to save lives,” said Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Antimicrobial Resistance ad interim.
Dr. Nakatani emphasized, “The pipeline for new antifungal drugs and diagnostics is alarmingly insufficient, and low- and middle-income countries, particularly in district hospitals, suffer from a lack of fungal testing. This diagnostic gap often leaves the cause of infections unidentified, complicating efforts to provide the correct treatment.”
Dr. Rajesh Chawla, a critical care specialist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi, noted that even now, they continue to see patients with severe fungal infections. The growing challenge is that many of the fungi responsible for these infections have developed resistance to available antifungal medications, making them increasingly difficult to treat.
