The health authorities have approved the use of the new oral Covid-19 medicine Molnupiravir for the treatment of symptomatic patients in the country.
However, they stopped short of allowing use of the drug for severe cases, elderly patients and those with comorbidities.
The approval came within a week of the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) authorising the manufacture of the oral medicine in the country.
The DGHS, in a notice on Tuesday afternoon, said: “Patients who test positive for Covid-19, showing mild to moderate symptoms, will be able to use the medicine for treatment.”
DGHS Director (Hospital and Clinics) Dr Farid Hossain Mia confirmed that the medicine could not be used on patients showing severe symptoms of Covid-19.
"The medicine should not be administered to patients who are over 60, have diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases or other comorbidities," he added.
The medicine would be included in the clinical guideline on Covid-19 soon, the DGHS director further said.
DGDA Director General Major General Mahbubur Rahman, during a press briefing last week, said the drug would help to reduce hospitalization and mortality rates by at least 50%.
Molnupiravir was approved by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on November 4 as the world's first oral product to treat symptomatic Covid-19.
The DGDA has so far authorized Beximco, SKF, Square and Renata to manufacture and market the medicine.
