CoronaVirus Updates
Buhari receives Madagascar COVID Organics
…Says mixture will undergo scientific test
BY EMMANUEL OGWU
President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday met with his Guinea Bissau counterpart, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, who presented to him the Madagascan COVID Organics, a herbal formulation for the treatment of COVID-19, developed by Madagascar.
The Chairman of Nigeria’s Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, had said at a press briefing that the government of Madagascar had allocated the mixture to different countries in Africa and had delivered them to Guinea Bissau for onward distribution.
Mustapha also said he had briefed President Buhari of the gift from Madagascar and that the president had ordered the airlifting of Nigeria’s allocation of the COVID Organics from Guinea Bissau.
“Madagascar has made allocations to various countries and sent them to Guinea Bissau. We’re supposed to make arrangements to freight Nigeria’s allocation from Guinea Bissau; it’ll be subjected to the standard validation process for pharmaceuticals.
“Mr President has given instructions for the airlifting of Nigeria’s allocation of the Madagascar COVID-19 Syrup; also given clear instructions that it must be subjected to the standard validation process for pharmaceuticals; there will be no exceptions for this,” Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, had said.
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The president re-echoed what Mustapha said when he met with the Guinea Bissau leader at the State House, Abuja.
Said the president on his Twitter handle after the meeting: “My position regarding all herbal or traditional medicines is that any such formulations should be sent to the statutory regulators for thorough scientific verification. We will not put anything to use in Nigeria without the endorsement of our regulatory institutions.
Some other African countries had already taken delivery of their own portion of the consignment of the herbal mixture.
Madagascar said the drink is derived from artemisia annun, a plant with proven anti-malarial properties, and other indigenous herbs.