World Health Organisation agrees to subject Madagascar's Covid Organics to clinical trials

WORLD Health Organisation (WHO) have finally agreed to pit Madagascar's acclaimed coronavirus herbal remedy Covid Organics through a clinical observation process after talks between the two sides.

Following the outbreak of the pandemic, Madagascar claimed that its Covid Organics served both as a vaccine and a cure for the virus. However, the herbal remedy has not been subjected to any clinical trials, so WHO has been unable to accept it, prompting the Madagascan government to pull out of the global health body.

Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina has expressed disgust that Covid Organics has not been considered because it was discovered by an African country. Following the impasse, WHO director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus held a virtual meeting with President Rajoelina to find a way forward and it was agreed that the drug will be subject to clinical trials.

At their meeting, WHO congratulated Madagascar for the discovery of its Covid Organics, adding that it had agreed to support the clinical observation process. Over the weekend, President Rajoelina had alleged that WHO offered his country the sum of $20m as a bribe to poison Covid Organics.

Yesterday, however, after their meeting, President Rajoelina said: “WHO will sign a confidentiality clause on its formulation and will support the clinical observations process in Africa. Following WHO’s invitation to be part of Solidarity Trial for clinical trials, Madagascar will prove the effectiveness of its third protocol that combines two injectable medicines that are different from Covid Organics.”

WHO has very stringent guidelines for drug approvals, which includes that any medicine or remedy must be subjected to clinical and human trials. So far, no health or regulatory body outside Madagascar has tried Covid Organics.