At the height of the second wave of Covid-19 in the country in June this year, Ugandans scampered for remedies as the health ministry seemed overwhelmed by the ever increasing cases of Covid-19 in the land yet the hospitals were short of drugs.
During that time, the infamous Covidex syrup surfaced on the market, with testimonies of how it worked magic in fighting the deadly Covid-19. Ay the time little was known about it until the National Drug Authority stepped in, at first warning people against using it. But later on, the syrup was approved and this show its prices shoot to the sky.
The brain behind it, proffessor Patrick Ogwang of Mbarara University of Science and Technology claimed his sale price was 3k a bottle but at the moment the price had multiplied by close to 40 times.
Ownership wrangles later broke out, where MUST, the National Drug Authority and Prof. Ogwang all claimed ownership of the drug. The stuggle went on until of recent when Ogwang was finally declared sole owner of the syrup.
Mbarara University of Science and Technology’s Legal, Rules, and Privileges committee concluded that Prof Patrick Ogwang is the bona fide owner of Covidex.
The committee led by Dr Stevens Kisaka, whose members include Jolly Uzamukunda, Sarah Nyachwo, Prof Nixon Kamukama, and Dr Robert Bitariho, released a 16-page report this week with 10 conclusions, with the pick being “Covidex is a product that was originated by Jena Herbals Uganda Ltd and was in existence prior to the implementation of the research grant that government extended to MUST through the Technology ministry.”
Safe to say the proffessor has had the last laugh in all this.
