On 9 January 2023, Fosun Foundation, together with Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd. (“Fosun Pharma”) and Henan Genuine Biotech Co., Ltd. (“Genuine Biotech”) announced a donation of RMB100 million worth of oral medication for COVID-19 Azvudine to 180 counties in the central and western rural areas of China in phases.

We Protect Rural Doctors, Rural Doctors Protect Everyone

Azvudine, the first small molecular oral medication for COVID-19 in China with complete independent intellectual property rights, was conditionally approved for launch by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) on 25 July 2022. On 9 August 2022, Azvudine was included in the 9th edition of the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for COVID-19 (《新型冠狀病毒肺炎診療方案》) by the General Office of the National Health Commission and the Office of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It was also included in the medical insurance scheme by the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA). On 6 January 2023, Azvudine was once again included in the 10th edition of the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for COVID-19. Since August 2022, Azvudine has been delivered to 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions across the country. Azvudine has a clear mechanism of action with good efficacy. Real-world data shows that early antiviral treatment is especially beneficial to the elderly or patients at high risk of developing severe illness.

At present, the epidemic prevention work in various places focuses on protecting people’s health and preventing severe cases, actively adopting targeted measures including optimizing vaccination, improving the preparation of related treatments and testing reagents for COVID-19, etc., to protect people’s health. Many hospitals across the country have issued new diagnosis and treatment protocol for COVID-19 to guide grassroots doctors to treat patients within the most critical 72 hours and accelerate the promotion of rational use of antiviral drugs in the treatment of COVID-19 infection. The new diagnosis and treatment protocol for COVID-19 has become a key measure to effectively protect the health of various groups, especially the elderly with underlying diseases.

In order to help rural communities cope with the epidemic, Fosun Foundation launched the “Winter Rural Assistance Program” on 6 January 2023. In addition to donating medicines, Fosun Foundation will cooperate with Fosun and external partners to carry out corresponding medication and healthcare training for rural grassroots medical workers in the form of online live broadcast and online consultation.

In December 2017, under the guidance of the National Health Commission, Fosun Foundation, together with China Population Welfare Foundation and China Foundation for Guangcai Program launched the Rural Doctors Program. Over the past five years, the Rural Doctors Program has covered 73 counties in the central and western rural areas of China, benefiting approximately 24,000 rural doctors and three million rural families. In addition to the 73 counties, this donation will cover more than 100 counties in the central and western rural areas of China in need of support.

Wang Zhaoyang, Founder of Genuine Biotech said, “As China enters a new phase of COVID-19 response, the demand for COVID-19 treatments in rural areas has become more urgent. Genuine Biotech has always been very concerned about the epidemic prevention and control at the grassroots level, and has always been putting people first. We strive to make every effort to protect people’s health. We look forward to Azvudine helping rural communities overcome the difficulties of the epidemic and providing medication needs for grassroots people.”

Guo Guangchang, Chairman of Fosun International and Founder of Fosun Foundation, said that through the on-site workers of the Rural Doctors Program we have been paying close attention to the situation of epidemic prevention and control in rural areas, and we are also particularly concerned about the difficulties and needs of rural doctors. “We hope that Azvudine and our series of supporting measures can help rural doctors, relieve the pressure of diagnosis and treatment in rural areas, and jointly build a solid defense line to protect the health of grassroots people.”