Africa’s top public health body has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pfizer for the continent to receive the Paxlovid pill to treat Covid-19, it said on Thursday.
Data from a mid- to late-stage study in November showed the antiviral medication was nearly 90% effective in preventing hospitalisations and deaths, compared with a placebo, in adults at high risk of severe illness.
“We have signed the MOU with Pfizer and we are going to be able to make that particular treatment available to African countries,” said Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, acting director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Ouma said the memorandum of understanding (MOU) would allow African countries to access Paxlovid at cost.
The Africa CDC, an agency of the 55-member AU, said in March the MOU was ready, but needed to be cleared by its legal office.
Source: Sunday Times
