KUWAIT — The first shipment of Japanese medicine Avigan will arrive in the country next week, after positive results in the clinical trials to treat coronavirus conducted by many countries, said Kuwait’s Health Ministry on Friday.

In a statement to KUNA, the Ministry’s Assistant Undersecretary for Medicines and Medical Equipment Affairs, Dr. Abdullah Al-Bader, affirmed that the first shipment of the drug comes within the emergency response and humanitarian purposes and does not carry a commercial value from the Japanese government.

The medicine’s use will be in accordance with the guidelines prepared by Japan and according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the rules followed in Kuwait, Al-Bader said.

Al-Bader lauded the coordination that lasted for nearly three months between the ministries of health and foreign affairs and the embassy of Kuwait in Tokyo, as the agreement was reached between Kuwait and Japan governments on April 19, and between Kuwait and the UN Office for Project Services on April 10 and May 19 to provide the medicine.

Al-Bader expected to also receive (Remedesivir) medicine in the current month, which is among the treatments that will by evaluated for its safety and effectiveness within the global initiative (Solidarity) launched by World Health Organization (WHO and its partners. — KUNA