Madagascar’s president surprised many observers when he announced that certain traditional plants grown on the large island country have the potential to cure Covid-19. Was his mention of this African remedy based on the healing properties of traditional medicine premature given that it is still being studied?
Could traditional African medicine “change the course of history” in the combat against COVID-19? Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina believes so, and he is also convinced that the island country has a special role to play in stemming the pandemic.On the evening of 8 April, the head of state made a surprising revelation to his fellow citizens on national television: “I received a letter on 24 March indicating that Madagascar possesses a remedy that could – and I say could because it has not yet been proven – cure the coronavirus.”
While staying mum about the name of the miracle remedy derived, he said, from a “medicinal plant”, Rajoelina added that Madagascar could potentially “change the course of history” thanks to this discovery.
On Easter Sunday, Rajoelina reiterated his conviction about the discovery of an antidote to COVID-19 in two back-to-back tweets: “On this Easter Sunday, #Madagascar would like to send a message of hope to the world with the help of our biodiversity, 80% of which are endemic species. To tackle #COVID-19, we will be able to propose an enhanced traditional remedy made up of Malagasy medicinal plants which have already been proven effective.”
This time around, he described the antidote as involving more than one plant.
“As we await the clinical trial results, we are confident that we will be able to change the course of history in this global war being waged against the pandemic. We are also going to conduct laboratory testing during which the drug will be administered to patients in different formats,” he added in another tweet later that same day.
Although the president continues to pursue his conviction and has given his approval of further study, the plants involved remain a complete mystery. In Madagascar, none of the individuals able to specify which plants are likely to cure COVID-19, as the head of state alluded, are willing to talk.
In his previous address, he showed unshakable confidence in his country’s ability to help combat the novel coronavirus: “Of course, unlike many other countries, Madagascar doesn’t have nuclear or chemical weapons. But as my intuition has told me, Madagascar will shine. I have faith in that.”
At 8:45 p.m. that Sunday, Rajoelina came on television.
“Madagascar has been chosen by God,” he said at the beginning of his speech, referring to the fact that nobody in the country had died from COVID-19.
Then, he revealed a “preventive and curative” artemisia-based remedy called COVID-Organics, saying that tests were conclusive.
IMRA developed the product, which debuted on Monday, 20 April
Credit:- TheAfricanreport.com
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