Congo receives COVID-Organics donation from Madagascar

Republic of the Congo

May 5: Congo receives COVID-Organics donation

Republic of Congo confirmed receipt of COVID-Organics, the touted Malagasy herbal cure for coronavirus. The consignment, a donation from Madagascar, arrive in Brazzaville on Tuesday, May 5.

Minister of State and director of cabinet at the presidency, Florent Ntsiba, received the donation from a delegation that flew to the Malagasy capital to import the consignment.

Part of the consignment was also to be sent to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, whose president Felix Tshisekedi is among leaders who have hailed the yet to be scientifically tested cure.

The government in Brazzaville announced interest in the curative / preventive cure after a meeting between President Sassou and Madagascar’s Andry Rajoelina.

The African Union says it is in talks with Madagascar “through its embassy in Addis Ababa, with a view to obtain technical data regarding the safety and efficiency of a herbal remedy, recently announced by Madagascar for the reported prevention and treatment of COVID19.”

“Once furnished with the details, the Union, through the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), will review the scientific data gathered so far on the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 Organics.

“This review will be based on global technical and ethical norms to garner the necessary scientific evidence regarding the performance of the tonic,” an AU statement further disclosed.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization, WHO; have reiterated its caution against people putting their faith in herbal remedies that have not been scientifically tested. In a statement, WHO said despite supporting all efforts – including traditional medicines – in search for treatments, it was important that any purported treatments be thoroughly tested.

#Covid19. Le Ministre d’Etat , Directeur de cabinet du Président de la République, Florent NTSIBA, recevant le don de Covid Organics venant du président malgache Rajoelina, ce 05 mai 2020 au palais du peuple. LuneOko Grace_Patcheli RFIAfrique pic.twitter.com/7I0LRK2A9a
— Congo Souverain (congosouverain) May 5, 2020

May 2: Congo requests COVID-Organics, the Madagascar herbal ‘cure’

Republic of Congo will take delivery of a Malagasy ‘cure’ for the virus, COVID-Organics, information minister Thierry Moungalla confirmed on Twitter.

According to him, the decision to turn to the Malagasy mixture was reached after a three-way teleconference between presidents of the two countries as well as the President of Guinea-Bissau.

COVID-Organics although not scientifically proven as a preventive or curative mixture for the virus is gaining grounds on the continent as presidents congratulate their Malagasy counterpart, Andry Rajoelina, for the initiative.

Equatorial Guinea this week sent a special flight to take delivery of tonnes of the cure. It is yet to be ascertained whether Congo like Equatorial Guinea will be receiving the consignment as a donation by the Malagasy government.

The World Health Organization confirms that treatment trials are underway across five African countries but did not mention the now ‘controversial’ Malagasy ‘cure.’

The Republic of Congo’s case count (as of May 2) stood at 229 confirmed cases, including nine deaths and 25 recoveries. Government has extended a national lockdown by two weeks to contain spread of the virus.

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