The World Health Organisation says it has reached an agreement with 70 traditional medicine experts on clinical trials of remedies to the COVID- 19 pandemic.
This was made known by WHO African Region via its Twitter handle on Tuesday.
The meeting is coming days after Madagascar said it found an herbal remedy capable of curing the disease.
@WHOAFRO tweeted, “70 traditional medicine experts from countries across #Africa held a virtual meeting with @WHO on the role of traditional medicine in the #COVID19 response.
“They unanimously agreed that clinical trials must be conducted for all medicines in the Region, without exception.”
Earlier, Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina criticised WHO and other international organisations for allegedly scorning local “remedy” for COVID-19.
“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,” he told French media in an interview.
Before the meeting, WHO had repeatedly warned that the COVID-Organics infusion, which Rajoelina has touted as a remedy against the deadly coronavirus, has not been clinically tested.
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But Madagascar claimed the drink is derived from artemisia – a plant with proven anti-malarial properties – and other indigenous herbs.
Already Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, and Tanzania have taken delivery of consignments of the potion, which was launched last month.
President Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the importation of the remedy.
Yetunde Adegoke
