Guniea Bissau, Liberia and Equatorial Guinea have joined Congo Brazzaville and Tanzania to indicate interest in importing the anti- coronavirus tonic known as Covid-Organics made in Madagascar.
As demand for the tonic increases among African countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning against people using untested remedies for coronavirus.
It said Africans it was not opposed to medicines if they are derived from traditional treatments, but that they have go through proper trials. The African Union (AU) said it wanted to see the scientific data on the “safety and efficacy” of the product.
The tonic, known as Covid-Organics, was tested on fewer than 20 people over three weeks in the African country, which WHO said it has not followed guidelines on clinical trials.
The drug, which is produced from the artemisia plant – the source of an ingredient used in a malaria treatment and other Madagasy plants has been used in the country which has recorded 151 cases of Covid-19 and no deaths, Africa CDC says.
The president imposed a lockdown on the three major cities, but these have now been relaxed, the AFP news agency reports.
