‘You disrespect COVID-19 cure because it’s African’ – Madagascar president fires at the West

President of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, believes the only reason the rest of the world has refused to treat Madagascar’s supposed cure for the coronavirus with urgency and respect is that the alleged remedy comes from Africa.

In an interview with French media at the beginning of this week, President Rajoelina reportedly said he has noticed what he believes stems from usual condescension toward Africans.

“I think the problem is that (the drink) comes from Africa and they can’t admit… that a country like Madagascar… has come up with this formula to save the world,” said the man who is Africa’s youngest head of state.

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“If it wasn’t Madagascar, and if it was a European country that had actually discovered this remedy, would there be so much doubt? I don’t think so,” Rajoelina added.

The remedy, COVID-Organics, is made from Artemisia, a plant imported into Madagascar in the 1970s from China to treat malaria. Artemisia has had proven success against malaria but the novel coronavirus, scientists have warned, is called novel for a reason.

But the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against blind faith in medications that have not been held to “the same standards [for] people in the rest of the world.” The WHO continued that natural therapeutic measures against the coronavirus should also be critically interrogated “through rigorous clinical trials”.

In response to the skepticism with which the WHO is treating the COVID-Organics, Rajoelina said, “No country or organisation will keep us from going forward.”

Madagascar is currently reporting that 102 of its 195 confirmed cases of the coronavirus have recovered. The country has recorded no deaths so far.

A host of other African countries including, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau, DR Congo and Niger, have imported the Madagascan made recipe.

Meanwhile, the African Union has said it intends to employ the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), to “review the scientific data gathered so far on the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 Organics”.