Prof . Patrick Ogwang the brai behind Covidex the herbal medicine that treats the effects of Covid-19 9n the huan body has been allocated five acres of land at the Soroti Industrial park by the Uganda Investment Authority(UIA) to set up a factory to produce medicines developed locally .
UIA also handed a free investment licence to Jena Herbals Uganda Limited, the company that produces Covidex and is owned by Prof Ogwang.
“Our focus is on supporting local investors. We believe that our country can be built by ourselves. Our goal is to make sure that we can support the local investors to set up and register their businesses as soon as possible,” said Evelyn Anite, the State Minister in charge of Investment and Privatization .
“We congratulate you for listening to the call of the president. You have registered your company and that you have expressed desire to put up a factory, we had to assist you.” Minister Anite said government had chosen Soroti Industrial Park for Prof.Ogwang’s factory since the area is near some of the raw materials for the Covidex drug’
“We are happy you are close to natural resources. Ugandans are testifying for Covidex to have helped them get relief from Covid. We will give you support since our job by law is to facilitate investment. We will always be available in case of any challenges.”
The Investment minister also announced a ten year tax holiday for Prof. Ogwang’s plant and machinery as part of incentives to continue with his development work . Prof. Ogwang said he was ready to hit the ground running with the new factory for his Covidex drug.
“We have already mobilized resources. We are ready to start construction as soon as the environment assessment report is out. I want to thank government for putting more emphasis in local research and investment in locally made medicines ,”Ogwang said. “This(factory) is not for Ogwang or Teso region but Uganda and Africa at large.”
Anite said that President Museveni is leading negotiations between Prof Ogwang and Mbarara University over the Covidex drug.
