KIU, Main Campus - On Monday, 27th April 2020, the President of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, launched a local herbal remedy for the Coronavirus said to have cured at least two COVID-19 cases.

The herbal remedy branded COVID Organics was developed by Congolese Doctor, Dr. Jerome Munyagi, in partnership with the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research. It is said to contain Artemisia, a plant cultivated on the island of Madagascar to fight against malaria, but also cultivated in high-altitude regions and/or regions with a pronounced cool period like Cameroon, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

According to Rajoelina, “all trials and tests have been conducted and its effectiveness in reducing the elimination of symptoms has been proven for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 in Madagascar.”

The president further mentioned on Twitter, that the herbal remedy would be distributed free-of-charge to their most vulnerable nationals and sold at very low prices to others.

In response to Madagascar’s “cure,” WHO advised that it’s organization does not recommend “self-medication with any medicines… as a prevention of COVID-19. Earlier, the organizations president, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus advised that there are “no short-cuts” to finding effective medication for the virus.