UMNYANGO wezeMpilo kuleli uthi awunazo izinhlelo zokusebenzisa iphilisi iMerck’s molnupiravir, yize isikhungo esgunyaza ukusetshenziswa kwamakhambi okwelapha kuleli, iSouth African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra), siliphasisile.
UMnuz Foster Mohale, okhulumela uMnyango wezeMpilo kuleli, uthi umnyango ngeke ulisebenzise leli philisi ezikhungweni zawo zezempilo. Iphilisi lisetshenziselwa ukwelapha iCovid-19 kubantu abatholakale benegciwane futhi nabanezimpawu zalo.
“Siyasemukela isinqumo seSahpra sokuphasisa iphilisi kodwa umnyango ngeke ulisebenzise ezikhungweni zezempilo zikahulumeni. Ulwazi lokuhlolwa kwalo lukhombisa ukuthi lingcono kuneminye imithi esiyisebenzisayo yokwelapha iCovid-19," kusho Mohale.
Inhloko yomnyango uDkt Nicholas Crisp, uthe iphilisi libiza kakhulu ngakho umnyango ngeke ukwazi ukulithenga.
Esitatimendeni esikhishwe yiSahpra, ithe ngesikhathi ihlolwa iMolnupiravir, ikhombise ukuthi yehlisa amathuba okuthi abahaqwe yiCovid-19, balaliswe esibhedlela ngo-30%. Kumele isetshenziswe ezinsukwini ezinhlanu zokuqala umuntu ekhombise izimpawu. Iziguli ezingakwazi ukuyisebenzisa ezineminyaka engu-18 kuya phezulu.
ISaphra ibeke umgomo wokuthi kube nesitokwe esanele ukuthi sisetshenziswe izinyanga eziyisithupha, ngaphambi kokuthi amaphilisi aqale ukusethenziswa. Isiguli kudingeka ukuthi siphuze amaphilisi angu-40, emuva kokukhombisa izimpawu zeCovid-19. Abesifazane abakhulelwe, abavumelekile ukuthi balisebenzise.
Isikhulu seSahpra uDkt Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, sithe ukugunyazwa kwephilisi kuyingxenye yamasu okulwa neCovid-19.
" Sizoqhubeka nokwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi kugunyazwa imithi esezingeni elifanele, ephephile okubalwa naleyo esungulwe ngokusetshenziswa kwezobuchwepheshe besimanje ukuze umphakathi usizakale," kusho uDkt Semete Makokotlela.
Kumanje abaphethwe yiCovid-19 e-USA, bakhokha uR10 500 ngamaphilisi angu-40, enele ukuthi belashwe kodwa zikhona izinkampani ezithembise ukuthi zizokhiqiza iphilisi elifanayo kepha elishibhile elibizwa (generic), ukuze kusizakale amazwe antulayo.