Kigali July 14, 2022 – The Ministry of Health initiated implementation of the ‘Accord for a Healthier World’ signed during World Economic Forum in Davos between the Government of Rwanda and Pfizer, a global pharmaceutical company. The event took place on July 14, 2022 in Kigali.
As per the accord, Pfizer is committed to providing on a not-for-profit basis its patent-protected medicines and vaccines currently marketed in the United States of America or the Eurpean Union to Rwanda in the last 10 years.
The implementation of this accord was marked by a training of 100 doctorson Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir (Paxlovid) clinical data, indications, usage, and drug-drug interactionsand on ensuring health equity in Rwanda.
In his remarks, Minister of Health Dr. Daniel Ngamije, said that this training was timely and knowledge from the training will help counter the severity of Covid-19. “We expect this training will equip you with the necessary knowledge on the efficacy, safety, dosing and drug-drug interactions of this medication, and the appropriate use of Paxlovid will help in the effective and early management of COVID-19 which will reduce the severity.”
Rwanda, which is the first country among 42 nations to sign the agreement that committed to implementing the agreement, received the medicines including that of COVID-19.
Minister Dr. Ngamije said, "Rwanda is starting to see the first results. We use Paxlovid to treat patients with symptoms of COVID-19, we will use it to treat those with symptoms of COVID-19 and in five days people feel better.''
Paxlovid is a drug produced by Pfizer and in late 2021, the first drug was released by the United States to fight the COVID-19 virus.
Other engagements with Pfizer in this accord include but are not limited to: the roll out of the use of new COVID-19 antiviral medication Paxlovid, identification of areas for partnership between Rwandan medical specialists in oncology, internal medicine and rare & inflammatory diseases in education, diagnostics, therapeutics, research, and establishment of a telemedicine consultation platform between Rwandan medical doctors and other experts using these drugs worldwide.