Treatment of Coronavirus:

Mass Production of Chloroquine Decreed
By Doh Bertrand Nua in Yaounde
The Minister of Scientific Research and Innovation has reassured that Cameroon has all its takes to begin the mass production of Chloroquine and azythromycine, two drugs now commonly used in the treatment of coronavirus.
   
    “…We have the equipment, the personnel and the laboratories. In short, we have all it takes to fabricate chloroquine,” Tchuente assured, noting the recruitment of some 748 young researchers by her ministry.
    However, the Research Minister regretted that despite the ready equipment and technical know-how, the raw materials (active ingredients) needed for the production of the drugs, are not readily available.
    “…What we don’t have in stock are the raw materials needed for producing the drugs. The raw materials are found only in China and India,” Tchuente said, at once noting the excellent relations between Cameroon and China, which she said could make importation of the materials less challenging.
   
    “Our intention is that by the time we get to the peak of the virus in Cameroon we should be able to produce the medication locally,” Tchuente said, adding that everything being equal, her Ministry can produce between 2000-9000 tablets of cholroquine per day, a capacity she said can handle an overwhelming situation.
According to the health minister, he suggested the local production of the drugs because it is the treatment protocol consensually put out by medics. However, the minister noted that the drugs are in short supply, especially chloroquine which had been withdrawn from the market years ago.
    It should be noted that the chloroquine/azythromycine combination has so far proven successful in the treatment of positive cases in Cameroon as well as in other countries. So far, over 61 persons have fully recovered from the virus in Cameroon.

    The bad news however is that the production of chloroquine and azythromycine is coming at a time when the government is battling the flooding of the local market with fake drugs.
Consignments of fake chloroquine were confiscated by security officials in Limbe recently. Meanwhile, two pharmaceutical companies have been sealed in Bafoussam and some of the staff arrested. 

The ministry of Scientific research has been tasked to massively produce Chloroquine and Azythromycine

“Hoping that the other ministerial departments are ready to collaborate, I can state here that China can deliver the materials within two weeks of the placement of an order,” she assured, also stating that the production of the drugs will help the government in no small measure to manage the increasing number of covid-19 victims in the country.

Madaleine Tchuente made the revelation in her reaction to a request from her counterpart of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malachie, for her ministry to supervise the mass production, locally, of the two drugs.