Kalazar could be treated more effectively with Amphomul:Thakur

Patna, Jun 15 (UNI) With the motive to provide better treatment for Kalazar, the medical fraternity has come forward with a new and more effective medicine under the brand name Amphomul.

Carrying forward the Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme, former Union Health Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Dr C P Thakur, an international expert of Kalazar, told mediapersons here that the new medicine was more effective with less side effects and reactions.

The new drug was invented after extensive research conducted under his guidance by the biotechnology department of the Union government.

Dr Thakur said Sodium Antimony Gluconate (SAG) had some toxic effect and was currently not in use. But astonishingly, he said, the SAG was still being used in some places and reportedly it had claimed 375 lives in Mahesi of Saharsa last year.

Another medicine Amoterecine-B has also some reactions but was an effective medicine, he said admitting that the doctors were facing difficulty in absence of alternative medicines for treatment of kalazar.

He further stated that Ambisone, a new medicine was good but being highly expensive it was beyond the reach of the class suffering from the disease.

The latest medicine Amphomul would be more effective in treatment, he said and requested the Centre to include it in the list of medicines dispatched to the states under Kalazar eradication mission.

Dr Thakur outlined about the spread of Kalazar in Bihar saying that the current year was being considered as epidemic year and requested the state government for adopting measures for eradicating the disease.

He also suggested the state government to evolve a revolving fund of Rs five to six lakhs for the treatment of the disease and stressed the need for developing a mechanism for receiving the information about the disease.

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