Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has debunked claims that Ghana has received samples of Madagascar’s COVID Organics, a herbal medicine alleged to be a cure for Covid-19.
Rather, he explained that they have reached out to Madagascar’s government on their supposed cure and the drug will be tested for its efficacy.
The Information Minister was clarifying an earlier report put out on the Twitter page of the Information Ministry.
We have received the Madagascar cure for Covid19 and we are testing it for efficacy – @konkrumah #AskTheInfoMinistry #Covid19
— Ministry of Information (@moigovgh) May 19, 2020
Mr. Oppong-Nkrumah also indicated that they have received local herbal cure from various herbal centers in the country and all are being tested to determine their efficacy.
Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority would be expected to study the drugs and give a recommendation on it.
The Madagascar tonic is produced from the artemisia plant – the source of an ingredient used in a malaria treatment – and other Malagasy plants.
Madagascar’s President, Andry Rajoelina, launched it in April in spite of pressure from the World Health Organisation.
Many African countries have received the drug and are using it to treat their COVID-19 patients.