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Saturday, 27 November 2021 01:43 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday gave approval to State Minister of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana to take necessary steps to import Molnupiravir, the anti-viral medication for COVID-19, via the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC).
Rolling out Molnupiravir anti-viral pill to treat symptomatic coronavirus cases in Sri Lanka was decided at a Special Committee on COVID-19 Control meeting held yesterday under the patronage of the President last morning.
It is the first-ever antiviral medication for COVID-19 that can be taken as a pill rather than injected or given intravenously.
Last week, Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 Technical Committee granted approval for the use of the oral antiviral pill ‘Molnupiravir’ in Sri Lanka.
Earlier this month, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) had also authorised Molnupiravir for use in people who have mild to moderate COVID-19 and at least one risk factor for developing severe illness. Such risk factors include obesity, older age (>60 years), diabetes mellitus, or heart disease.
Among adults with mild to moderate COVID who were at risk of developing serious disease, it is said to cut the chances of being hospitalised or dying in half.
Molnupiravir, which works by interfering with the virus’ replication, is developed by the US drug companies Merck, Sharp and Dohme (MSD) and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.
The President also instructed the health authorities to take necessary steps to launch a mobile vaccination service to administer a booster dose for people over the age of 60 years, who had their second dose three months prior.
It was also decided to give the third dose to all those over the age of 20 years, who had received the second dose vaccine and were suffering from non-communicable diseases.
Accordingly, the third dose of the vaccine would be given to cancer patients, patients who have undergone transplants, hemorrhagic patients, and all those patients with weakened immune systems due to a non-communicable disease (NCDs).
Earlier, it was decided to administer the booster dose to all those over the age of 60 who come to hospital medical clinics.
Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena said the personnel in these categories could obtain the third dose at the respective clinic or at the Office of the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) in the area every Saturday as well.
Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, State Ministers Sisira Jayakody and Channa Jayasumana, Health Ministry Secretary Major General Dr. Sanjeewa Munasinghe and Commanders of the three Armed Forces, the Inspector General of Police and other officials were also present at the meeting.
