By Elly Nyesiga
The National Drug Authority (NDA) has approved the use of Vidicine, a local herbal medicine as a supporting treatment for viral infections, including Covid-19.
The product was developed by Kazire health products under stewardship of Dr Edward Kazire and has been formulated from herbal plants.
According to the national Drug Authority statement dated 16th August 2021 signed by Juliet Awori Okecho for Secretary to the Authority, Vidicine drug has been qualified as herbal medicine and therefore placed on the list of notified herbal products in the country.
Addressing journalists today in Mbarara, Dr Edward Kazire said that they have spent over a year working on the drug.
He said that this medicine mainly helps the patients with breathing difficulties which is the main cause of deaths in covid19 patients.
Kazire clarified that Vidicine is not a vaccine but a supporting drug in treatment of covid19 which mainly helps patients with inflammation.
Vidicine becomes the second herbal medicine to be given a green light by NDA after Prof Peter Ogwanga’s Covidex
Meanwhile, he challenged the government to embrace herbal medicine and start sourcing investors in this field.
Dr Kazire says that many foreign countries known for drug development like India, Garman and China use herbs from Africa to manufacture drugs when they in turn sell to Africa at very high costs.
H stressed that Uganda is endowed with a good natural environment and climate favorable for medicinal herbs which need to be efficiently exploited.
He also challenged University professors to leave their comfort zones and start innovations which can help their communities.
He said that the government has tried by equipping different universities with what is needed in different innovations thus it’s high time the professors wake up and be of great importance to the country.
