Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Country Director in Namibia Dr Eric Dziuban said Remdesivir is an anti-viral drug which stops replication in COVID-19.Dr Dzuiban said the Remdesivir has improved the recovery time to 11 days from 15 days.
On 28 August 2020 President Hage Geingob announced the arrival of Remdesivir in the country.
The Namibian Health Ministry has said the medicine is part of the country’s essential medicines and will be procured in the same manner like all other medicines.
“The medicines were already distributed to hospitals and will be prescribed by doctors according to indications,” Health Ministry Dr Kalumbi Shangula said on Tuesday.
Despite the packaging indicating that it is not for distribution in the United States, Canada and the European Union, Dr Dzuiban said Remdesivir is currently being used in these countries.
Dziuban said the distribution indication on the package is to ensure all countries do get the antiviral drug rather
Dr Dzuiban said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the drug on an emergency basis hence it is being used around the world.
