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SPC to buy Covid-19 medicine from Japanese firm
View(s):The State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) and the Japanese firm Fujifilm Toyama Pharmaceutical Co Ltd–the manufacturer of a Japanese anti-flu drug that could treat Covid-19 patients–have signed an agreement for Sri Lanka to purchase the medication which is called “Favipiravir” (Avigan).
The contract was facilitated in a collaboration between Sri Lanka’s Embassy in Tokyo with the assistance of the Secretary and Ministry of Foreign Relations in Sri Lanka, the Japanese Government, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health and Fujifilm Toyama.
The first consignment of Favipiravir is due to be collected soon in Sri Lanka. Officials have cautioned that this is the only official channel working for the purpose of procuring the drug for Sri Lanka. There are no agents or intermediaries.
The warning came after the Japanese Government sent an email to all diplomatic and consular missions and international organisations on Friday. It said an anonymous person had contacted some of the Tokyo-based embassies representing countries which have seen an expansion of Covid-19 infections. The caller had offered to import Favipiravir/Avigan from China and sell them to these countries.
The Japanese Government pointed out that the approval and permission of its Health, Labour and Welfare Ministers were necessary to import medical drugs and products for commercial purposes. Therefore, this offer could be “a highly possibly a fraud or actionable activity” [sic].
Medical authorities in China have confirmed that Favipiravir appears to be effective in coronavirus patients. And Zhang Xinmin, an official at China’s Science and Technology Ministry, is quoted as saying it produced encouraging outcomes in clinical trials in Wuhan and Shenzhen involving 340 patients.
Speculation about Favipiravir in Sri Lanka led the mission in Tokyo to get an authentic information kit directly from the producer which was then sent to Secretary of Foreign Relations Ravinatha Ariyasinghe. He shared it with experts in Colombo and the Secretary to the Ministry of Health made a procurement request which was conveyed to the Japanese Ambassador in Colombo.
The Japanese Government granted approval after Sri Lanka’s mission in Tokyo submitted a formal request and a series of follow-up mails and calls. Fujifilm then agreed to sell the drug on a commercial basis. It is yet to be conclusively proved that it is effective against the coronavirus.