Last week, the regulator of human drugs in Uganda the National Drug Authority (NDA) approved the use of covidex a local herbal remedy made by a Ugandan professor to help in the treatment of COVID-19. After the approval of the remedy, many parts of country have reported that they don’t enough stock of covidex to meet the high from the population.
Today, we have brought you the full process of how Prof Patrick Engeu Ogwang invented Covidex which is now helping Ugandans in the treatment of covid-19;
Prof Ogwang Engeu Patrick is a professor of pharmacy at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). He was trained as a pharmacist and a pharmacologist with PhD.
His research focuses on testing, developing and producing medicines from plants based on traditional medicine knowledge and scientific laboratory evidence.
Prof Ogwang has developed a number of effective medicines including Artavol and Artavoplus for malaria prevention and immune system strength, jenacof for coughs and flue, Jenacid and Jenapep for peptic ulcers, Jena Dm for diabetes, Jena HT for high blood pressure, Jena Sm for sickle cell disease among others all made from medicinal plants.
Last year when covid-19 reached Uganda he decided to redesign and repurpose one product which initially was for tootheace and mouth Hygiene for use in covid-19 because of the strong antiviral effects of the medicinal plants extracts in it as he narrates below:
Last year around December two of my colleagues in the University contracted covid with one admitted in hospital and put on oxygen. I gave them the formula which I call covidex and in 3 days of use they greatly improved and became negative.
This year, another called me about a colleague who was on oxygen due to covid and she requested for my help. I gave her 6 bottles which the patient used and again in 3 days improved and was put off oxygen later tested negative and was discharged. Last month we decided to study the product more and we found a compound that is scientifically proven as able to kill corona virus in laboratory test tubes. With increasing cases of covid-19, I started getting many people calling for solution from me. I then began large scale production and many Ugandans are benefitting now.
So even though we are still carrying our more tests we now know that covidex has a natural compound that stops corona virus from multiplying.
Covidex factory price is ugx 5,000 a unit pack. My goal is always to make medicine that is affordable to all. I never aim at huge profits.
