As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across the world, killing thousands, Ugandan scientists have developed seven products, six of which are under trial, and one, an immune booster is already being used.
While addressing the nation yesterday evening, President Yoweri Museveni said the scientists gave him good news that the first three drugs (3) are all anti-virals- killing the virus and limiting the damage of the virus to the body.
“They have told me starting December 15, 2020, patients under strict medical supervision will have this medicine tried on them,” Museveni revealed.
He added, “The scientists are saying that within 40 days, enough patients will have been treated to convince other persons that are not part of the trials that the drug works against COVID-19 and other viruses.”
The fourth exciting product is a bronchial dilator- a drug that will keep lung airways open without the need to use the ventilators that cause so much damage to other body parts where they are inserted.
“Our scientists have also developed two diagnostic tents- one which uses saliva and can give results in 30 minutes. There is always opportunity in adversity,” he said.
The President said that clinical trials on patients with COVID-19 will be able to reveal precisely whether these interventions are safe and effective.
To date, Uganda has 20,145 cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases, 8989 recoveries and 201 deaths.