By Folami Roqeeb
Madagascar president Andy Rajoelina, last month launched a herbal remedy which he claimed can prevent and cure Covid-19 named Covid Organics (CVO).
These claims have caught the attention of medical experts who have been working to find a cure to the deadly virus which has killed hundreds of thousands of people around the globe.
According to the Malagasy Institute Of Applied Research, the remedy is produced from Artemisia annua (sweet woodworm), a plant which has proven effective against malaria.
When speaking to journalist and diplomats, the 45 year old president said "This herbal tea gives results in seven days".
WHO (World Health Organisation) wants the herbal remedy to be tested for efficacy and negative effects. They have no evidence the drink works according to the head of WHO Africa office.
Despite the lack of evidence of efficacy of the remedy, Rajoelina defends the remedy telling France 24 a Paris-based international television news network that it is "a preventative and curative remedy" and "works really well".
The President went ahead to slam WHO for not endorsing it's cure. He said, during an exclusive Interview with France 24 "If it were a European country which had discovered this remedy, would there be so many doubts". He went further to say ''The problem is that it comes from Africa. And they cannot accept that a country like Madagascar, which is one of the poorest countries in the world, has discovered this formula to save the world".
Matshidiso Moeti who works at the WHO Regional Office for Africa was asked during a press conference whether the WHO has any evidence of the remedy effectiveness, she said "No, we do not". WHO had warned against the use of Covid Organics (CVO) without any medical supervision and cautioned against self medication. They said they are not discouraging the use of the herbal drink. "Africans deserve to use medicines tested to the same standards as people in the rest of the world,” a statement says.
Several African countries like Equiatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Niger and Tanzania have ordered for the dispatch of the remedy
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