‘Pakistan will soon manufacture Coronavirus treatment drug’

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza announced on Friday said that Pakistan will soon manufacture a drug developed by American company for coronavirus patients.

Dr. Zafar Mirza said that Pakistan will soon manufacture Remdesivir, a COVID-19 treatment drug under license from US pharmaceutical company.

Addressing a news conference, SAPM on health said Pakistan is among the five countries with which the US company has signed licensing agreement for manufacturing the drug.

The American company Gilead has given a voluntary licence to five companies and one of them is a Pakistani drug manufacturing company, he said.

The Special Assistant said export of the drug to the developing world at these hard times of need will also position Pakistan to play its rightful role.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan held a video conference with Gilead on March 7 and convinced them that they should manufacture the drug in Pakistan,” said the SAPM.

He added that Pakistan will register the drug in the next six weeks and the production will start in eight weeks.

He said Pakistan will also be able to export the medicine to 127 countries facing the deadly pandemic.

Dr. Zafar Mirza said the drug will help provide our citizens and frontliners access to the latest treatment for the pandemic in a fast-track manner.

Speaking on the occasion, Advisor on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood stated that it was a big day for Pakistan and was in line with the government’s strategy to diversify the country’s exports.

“Our trade and investment offices will be informed at once about this and will be included in their economic strategy,” said Dawood.