Aine Siggy
The Uganda National Drug Authority has finally approved the use of the locally manufactured Covidex drug.
There has been an ongoing tag of war between the NDA and the manufacturers of the drug, Mbarara University of Science and Technology’s PharmaBiotechnology Traditional medicine centre under Prof Ogwang.
NDA said that the drug had not yet gotten clearance from it’s jurisdiction and advised people not to use it.
The drug had already been put on market and a number of people had already started purchasing it.
Prof Ogwang came out to say the drug was still undergoing tests and he needed more funds.
It had not yet undergone clinical tests to determine it’s efficiency yet it was already on market.
NDA went ahead to accuse Ogwang of delaying the process to certify it’s use.
However, the body which is responsible for the standard of all medicines used in the country for human consumption has come out today to certify the drug.
NDA said that Covidex will be used as a supportive treatment in management of viral infections.
“Today; June 29, 2021
@UNDAuthority
has notified Covidex as a supportive treatment in management of viral infections and can now be accessed in all licensed drug outlets. Please avoid self medication & take this and other drugs on the advice of a professional health worker.”
The drug is already a darling among many Ugandans and can be accessed in almost all drug stores around the country.
People have however come out to complain about it’s prices that keep on being hiked.
A few days ago before it’s sale was halted, a 20mls bottle costed around Ugx 10,000 but it’s said that now the same bottle goes for Ugx 15,000.
Apparently, a person reportedly needs around 7 bottles of Covidex to get cured from COVID 19.
The executive director of NDA Mr David Nahamya however came out to disprove these claims that Covidex cures COVID 19.
He said that that they had approved the drug because it’s founders had accepted to drop these claims.
