Malaysia Buys Pfizer's Paxlovid Medicine For 110,000 COVID-19 Patients

Illustration of health workers treating COVID-19 patients in Malaysia. (Antaranews)

JAKARTA - The Malaysian government purchased an antiviral drug for COVID-19 patients named Paxlovid. The drug produced by Pfizer is planned to be received by the country in the next two weeks.

Malaysian Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said Paxlovid would be given to thousands of vulnerable COVID-19 patients in Malaysia.

"Malaysia has purchased the drug for 110,000 patients which will be given to individuals exposed to COVID-19 who are at high risk," Jamaluddin told reporters after the 16th Annual Dialysis Meeting of the Fruits Pinggang Kebangsaan Foundation (NKF) in Kuala Lumpur, Saturday 5 March, launching Between.

The UMNO politician said that if the drug was proven to be efficacious as announced, his party would increase the number of purchases of the drug.

He said two more brands of the drug would be purchased, namely Molnupiravir and another from AstraZeneca, but that had not been announced.

On that occasion, Khairy delivered his remarks at the inauguration of a new feature in the MySejahtera application which provides an opportunity for the public to become organ donors.

Khairy said the effort was made because Malaysia is facing an increase in chronic kidney disease patients while the number of people becoming organ donors is decreasing.

He said in 2016 more than 40,000 chronic kidney disease patients were dependent on dialysis treatment and it was forecast that this would increase to 100,000 patients.

Meanwhile, Indonesia is currently using a new antiviral drug for COVID-19, namely Molnupiravir and the Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir (Paxlovid) combination.

These two drugs are an option apart from the use of the antiviral Remdesivir and Favipiravir.

The Chair of the Infection Working Group for the Central Management of the Indonesian Lung Doctors Association (PDPI) Erlina Burhan said that Molnupiravir and Paxlovid have been included in the COVID-19 Management Manual, Edition 4, which was just published in January 2022.

The manual was compiled by five professional organizations in Indonesia, namely the Indonesian Lung Doctors Association (PDPI), the Indonesian Cardiovascular Specialist Doctors Association (PERKI).

Furthermore, the Indonesian Association of Internal Medicine Specialists (PAPDI), the Indonesian Association of Anesthesiologists and Intensive Therapists (PERDATIN), and the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI).