By Adedapo Adesanya
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has dissociated itself from reports of a donation from Madagascar regarding a coronavirus herbal cure, COVID-Organics.
In press release, the ECOWAS Commission said it dissociates itself from claims that it had ordered a package of COVID Organics (CVO) medicine from the Southern African country.
“We wish to dissociate ECOWAS and its health institution, West Africa Health Organization, WAHO, from this claim and inform the general public that we have not ordered the said CVO medicine,” the statement read in part.
The controversial Malagasy virus cure is already in West Africa after Guinea-Bissau took delivery of a donation days ago.
The Malagasy president, Mr Andry Rajoelina, said that a donation had been made to the 15-member ECOWAS bloc.
At the handing over ceremony to Guinea-Bissau officials, the packaging of the drugs had flags of all African countries in the bloc. The country also said it had agreed to deploy to neighbouring countries.
The current statement is a direct response to Mr Rajoelina’s claims. It stressed that ECOWAS was not against traditional or herbal contributions to health challenges, but that it was only ready to support and endorse products that had been scientifically tested and proven.
It added that WAHO remained in contact with WHO, Africa CDC and other international stakeholders in seeking a scientific search for COVID-19 cure. The WHO has warned against untested cures while the Africa CDC said it was in talks with Madagascar.
It is not known yet if Guinea-Bissau has started deployment and whether other African countries will accept the packages. The last ECOWAS heads of state meeting did not discuss anything around the issue.
The coronavirus disease has claimed more than 252,000 lives, infecting not less than 3.6 million people across the world.
At the moment, the virus, which is transmitted from human to human and originated from China in December 2019, has no cure.
Scientists are working round the clock to find a vaccine for the disease, with human trials started in the United Kingdom.
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