Entrance Pharmaceuticals and Research Centre, a leading producer of pharmaceutical products in West Africa and a member of the Tobinco Group of Companies, has presented 1,000 courses of Hydroxychloroquine worth more than GHS100,000 and 18,000 bottles of Foligrow to the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Mr Kwadwo Asare Twerefour, MD of Entrance Pharmaceuticals and Research Centre, thanked the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) for ensuring the drugs went through all the needed processes in due time.

He stated that the company identified the need to locally-produce hydroxychloroquine and other medicines to support the government in the fight against COVID-19, adding that the company is still researching and will produce the rest of the drugs that are needed to fight the disease.

Mr Asare Twerefour also expressed hope that the money promised by EXIM Bank will materialise in due time so that the company can produce more of the drugs efficient enough to supply the local and international markets.

In an interview with journalists after the presentation, the Chairman of the Tobinco Group, Nana Amo Tobbin said the company had decided to produce hydroxychloroquine and other drugs to support the government in the fight against COVID-19.

He also made it known that due to the scarcity of the drug, some African countries had already contacted the company for stocks.

However, he stated that the company was looking up to the funding as promised by the government to enable the company produce more for local consumption, before it can supply the other countries with the drug.

Nana Amo Tobbin 1 cautioned that the hydroxychloroquine should only be taken under a doctor's prescription and not for counter sales.

Receiving the donation, Dr Okoe Boye commended the Tobinco boss as well as tEntrance Pharmaceuticals and Research Centre for supporting the government with the medicine for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

He noted that for the government to succeed in the fight against COVID-19, it will take partnerships such as that of the Tobinco Group.

Dr Okoe Boye, therefore, assured the Tobinco btoss that the Ministry of Health will ensure that the process of securing funding from the EXIMBANK to commence the production of the drugs on a large scale is expedited.