Covidex out of stock in city pharmacies

Covidex, a local herbal medicine used as a supportive treatment for Covid-19, is out of stock in many pharmacies around the city. 
A survey conducted by Daily Monitor  in different pharmacies around Kampala City on Monday and yesterday revealed that the medicine had been bought out. 
Some of the pharmacies included Wilbert Pharmacy (Market Street branch), C & A Pharmacy (Kabalagala branch), Friecca Pharmacy in Wandegeya, Ecopharm Pharmacy (Ntinda branch), Makro Pharmacy (Kisementi branch), Vine Pharmaceuticals (Kampala branch), Amazon Pharmacy (Kampala-Entebbe road branch), and First Pharmacy (Bombo road branch). 

The rising demand for Covidex comes almost a week after the National Drug Authority approved it to support the treatment of viral infections.
“On Monday (June 5), we received a supply of one box containing about 100 bottles, but in less than one hour, everything was finished,” a pharmacists from Friecca Pharmacy said yesterday.

Friecca Pharmacy sells a bottle of Covidex at Shs15,000.
Meanwhile, other pharmacists stated that their suppliers were taking too long to deliver the medicine. 
“We placed an order about a week ago, but we have not received anything. Whenever we keep calling them (suppliers), they tell us they have run short of the packaging materials,” another medical personnel from Care Plus Pharmacy said. 

“The medicine is absolutely on high demand. There was a day we got more than 100 people placing orders,” he added. 
Jenna Herbals Ltd is the manufacturer of Covidex. 
Although the medicine is out of stock in most pharmacies, medics advise individuals to keep checking  with them because there are days the medicine is readily available.  They also caution the population to strictly used the drug after it has been prescribe by a medical personnel. 

Covidex experience

Treatment.  “I opted to take a Covid-19 test on June 15 after getting some mild symptoms including cough. Afterwards, I went for treatment and they prescribed for me some tablets including panadol and Vitamin C to take alongside Covidex.  For this herbal medicine, I was instructed to put six drops inside my throat three times a day. It had a relatively sour taste. During the course of treatment, I bought three bottles of Covidex and was charged an overall amount of Shs100,000. I followed treatment until my cough diminished. On June 24, I tested and my results indicated negative,” Mr Justus Asiimwe, a bank teller