By Stephen Otage
Several African countries have already started expressing interest in importing Uganda’s herbal covid-19 remedy, Covidex.
Jena Herbals the company manufacturing Covidex, the herbal drug recommended as a supplementary treatment for Covid-19 patients, says the drug authorities of a number of African countries, have started making inquiries about its efficacy before they can import it.
Addressing journalists at St. John’s Church Kamwokya earlier today, Professor Patrick Ogwang the Chief executive officer Jena Herbals and developer of the herbal drug, said after securing approval from the National Drug Authority to manufacture Covidex, the national drug authorities of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Rwanda and some Southern African counties, have sent him forms requesting for more information about the efficacy of the medicine before they can import it.
This comes a day after he secured an investment licence from the Uganda Investment Authority, essentially getting a green light to manufacture the drug on a 5-acre piece of land at the Soroti Industrial park and a ten year tax holiday from the government.
Professor Ogwang and his wife Dr Lillian Ogwang, have also made a food donation to 300 residents of Kamwokya slum whose livelihood has been affected by the lockdown which the government instituted to check the spread of covid-19.
When asked why he choose to take the factory to Soroti district which is miles away from Kampala city, Professor Ogwang said government is the one that directed him to have the factory-built there because it will support and improve medical research at Soroti regional referral hospital, as well as Soroti University so that it becomes the first factory in the country which is working directly with a public university and a public hospital to design solutions to problems identified by the university and hospital in the society like it happens in other developed countries.
