The envisaged factory for the production of Covidex, a herbal remedy for the management of COVID-19 will need a minimum of 10 billion Shillings to become operational in Soroti.
The Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) offered five acres of land in Soroti Industrial Park last yearto Prof. Patrick Ogwang, the founder of Jena Herbals Ltd to start the factory. But Prof. Ogwang says it will take him a while to operationalize the factory because of limited resources.
Prof. Ogwang says he has personally administered and monitored more than 300 people who took Covidex after testing positive for the virus in Uganda. All the patients, according to Prof. Ogwang were in moderate and severe condition with only five in critical condition. He says that all the patients recovered fully except for two in critical condition who died.
He, however, notes that he is facing resistance from individuals and institutions to have Covidex taken for clinical trials, a process that would pave way for its approval by the National Drug Authority. Without divulging details, Prof. Ogwang said that Covidex has remained in the market because of the support from President Yoweri Museveni, which he notes is personal.
Prof. Ogwang adds that whereas there’s interference on the progress of Covidex development, he has received several applications from the international community including Zambia, South Africa and Canada for the supply of Covidex.
The National Drug Authority gave Covidex a green light to be used as a remedy in the treatment of COVID-19 symptoms in June 2021. The approval was done following a two-week scientific evaluation of the medicine’s safety and efficacy.