Now, black market for black fungus drugs; junior doc, nurse held

Hyderabad: In the recent months, there have been several reports of people selling Remedesivir injections and oxygen cylinders in the black market following a surge in COVID-19 cases brought on by the second wave of the pandemic. Now, it is black fungus drugs that are being illegally sold at high prices.

In two separate cases, the special operations team of the Rachakonda commissionerate on 21 May arrested four persons, including a staff nurse and a junior doctor, for illegally procuring and selling Amphotericin B Liposome injection (AMFIGHT) used in the treatment of black fungus. Four injections of the same were seized by the police.

The sleuths of the special operation teams Malkajgiri and Bhongir laid traps in Dilsukhnagar and L.B Nagar Ring Road in the limits of Saroornagar and apprehended the four accused. They were selling the drug at exorbitant prices and without any valid documents.

Two of the arrested persons - Gujja Sravan Kumar (33) and Uppali Shailendra Kumar (43) - are medical representative while Ramavath Ramanjaneyulu (27) is a staff nurse at Star Hospital and Gande Snehith (24) is a junior doctor at Chetana Hospital. Another accused, Shekar who is a pharmacist at Star Hospital, is absconding.

The two medical representatives were selling each vial of the drug for Rs. 50,000 while the other two were selling it for Rs. 33,000 each. The market price of the injection is not more than Rs. 7.858 each. The four along with the seized material were handed over to the Saroornagar and LB Nagar police stations for further action.