KUCHING: The Sarawak government is looking to acquire Pfizer’s oral antiviral drug, Paxlovid, to treat COVID-19 infected patients.
Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian said this following an announcement by the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) conditional approval for the use of the medicine on March 3.
“Thanks to the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) and Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin for the additional therapeutic options in our fight with COVID-19 to save as many lives as possible.
“Also, thanks to Sarawak COVID-19 Advisory Group (SCOVAG) led by its chairman Datuk Dr Andrew Kiyu for discussing with Pfizer for the oral antiviral drug with a view to acquire it.
“This is one less hurdle to acquire the new oral antiviral drug,” he said in a Facebook post on Sunday (Mar 6).
Similarly, he mentioned that the plan to get Paxlovid was the same in regard to the arrangement to procure the Ronapreve COVID-19 medicine from Swiss multinational healthcare company, Roche, which was purchased by the state government.
“This was made available at all four major public hospitals in Sarawak since last year to supplement and complement MOH,” he said.
Dr Sim added that while MOH depended on various national professional recommendations, the Sarawak government depended on local experts such as SCOVAG on new and emerging COVID-19 drug recommendation such as the Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) oral antiviral drug, Molnupiravir for which SVOVAG had ongoing discussion with the company since last year.
“In order to speed up the process, Sarawak will need to pursue under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) for a Sarawak Drug Control Authority, Sarawak Ministry of Health, and Sarawak Professional Councils (Medical, Pharmacy, Nursing, Allied Health),” he pointed out.
On March 5, Khairy said that the first phase of the procurement of Paxlovid would be given to high-risk individuals, and that would mean a total of 110,000 patients to receive it first.
He said that the antiviral drug would arrive this month and if found to be effective, then the government would increase its purchases.
The procurement of the antiviral drug is in addition to the use of COVID-19 vaccine to combat the pandemic.
