By Musasizi Isaac
KAMPALA-UGANDA/NEWSDAY: Prof Patrick Ogwang, the developer of Covidex, a local herbal medicine now used to treat Covid19 and other viral infections, has been stopped from any further media interviews after yesterday’s press conference in which he said his medicine price should not exceed Shs12,000.
Ogwang’s announcement infuriated a cartel of mafias who have taken over the supply of the medicine around the country also naming their affiliate outlets as the only authorized suppliers of Covidex.
On Tuesday July 6, 2021 morning NBS crew had booked an interview with Prof. Ogwang only to be told by his personal assistant the “the Professor had been stopped from speaking to media.”
Sources later indicated that the known cartel of Mafias who have taken over control of everything in the country are behind the media ban on Prof Ogwang. This group after assuming illegal rights to supply covidex, have hiked its price from the earlier cost of Shs.20.000 to Shs.150.000.
It is also alleged that that the cartel are the beneficiaries from the trillions of shillings of money being allocated in different sectors toward the fight against Covid19.
Prof Patrick Ogwang
“There are also people who do not want to see that covid19 is suppressed in the country. They can’t allow cure efforts of the virus,” another source said.
In his Media address on Monday, Ogwang said the factory price was Shs.6000 and that he didn’t expect someone to sell it at shs20,000, shs30,000 or shs50,000.
“That is greed. I want to appeal to Ugandans not to use this chance to make themselves rich. You will never become rich through such methods. We expect wholesalers to add shs2000 to make it shs8000 and pharmacies at most shs12000. It means full doze of three bottles will be shs36000,” Prof. Ogwang said on Monday morning.
He clarified that Jena Herbals Uganda Limited, the producers of Covidex never intended to make profits out of the herbal medicine but rather to help people who in need.
“We knew Covidex would be a highly demanded product but our company principle is humanity first,” Ogwang said.
The National Drug Authority cleared Covidex for use as a supporting treatment for viral infections including Covid-19.
Ogwang also said that clinical trials to check for Covidex’s effectiveness before taking any other step was soon to be launched. He said President Museveni was supporting his firm to find a solution to the covid19 pandemic.
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