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| Coronavirus: Tanzanian president promises to import Madagascar's 'cure' | Coronavirus: Tanzanian president promises to import Madagascar's 'cure' |
| (1 day later) | |
| The President of Tanzania, John Magufuli, is sending a plane to Madagascar to fetch a herbal tonic touted as a cure for Covid-19 even as the World Health Organization (WHO) warned there was no proof of any cure. | |
| Congo-Brazzaville's president has also promised to import the drink. | Congo-Brazzaville's president has also promised to import the drink. |
| It is produced from the artemisia plant - the source of an ingredient used in a malaria treatment. | It is produced from the artemisia plant - the source of an ingredient used in a malaria treatment. |
| The WHO also advised people against self-medicating. | The WHO also advised people against self-medicating. |
| The drink was launched as Covid-Organics and was being marketed after being tested on fewer than 20 people over a period of three weeks, the Malagasy president's chief of staff Lova Hasinirina Ranoromaro told the BBC last month. | |
| In response to the launch of Covid-Organics, the WHO said in a statement sent to the BBC that the global organisation did not recommend "self-medication with any medicines... as a prevention or cure for Covid-19". | In response to the launch of Covid-Organics, the WHO said in a statement sent to the BBC that the global organisation did not recommend "self-medication with any medicines... as a prevention or cure for Covid-19". |
| It reiterated earlier comments by WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that there were "no short-cuts" to finding effective mediation to fight coronarvirus. | It reiterated earlier comments by WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that there were "no short-cuts" to finding effective mediation to fight coronarvirus. |
| International trials were under way to find an effective treatment, the WHO added. | International trials were under way to find an effective treatment, the WHO added. |
| In March, the US-based National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health warned against purported coronavirus remedies, including herbal therapies and teas - saying the best way to prevent infection was to avoid exposure to the virus. | In March, the US-based National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health warned against purported coronavirus remedies, including herbal therapies and teas - saying the best way to prevent infection was to avoid exposure to the virus. |
| The drink has been picked up in other African countries. | The drink has been picked up in other African countries. |
| On Saturday Madagascar delivered a shipment to Guinea-Bissau. | On Saturday Madagascar delivered a shipment to Guinea-Bissau. |
| The Malagasy president also tweeted that the special envoy to Equatorial Guinea picked up a shipment of the drink. | The Malagasy president also tweeted that the special envoy to Equatorial Guinea picked up a shipment of the drink. |
| Speaking on TV, President Magufuli said he was already in contact with the government of Madagascar and would despatch an aircraft to the island nation to collect the medicine. | Speaking on TV, President Magufuli said he was already in contact with the government of Madagascar and would despatch an aircraft to the island nation to collect the medicine. |
| "I am communicating with Madagascar, and they have already written a letter saying they have discovered some medicine. We will despatch a flight to bring the medicine so that Tanzanians can also benefit. So as the government we are working day and night," he said. | "I am communicating with Madagascar, and they have already written a letter saying they have discovered some medicine. We will despatch a flight to bring the medicine so that Tanzanians can also benefit. So as the government we are working day and night," he said. |
| Mr Magufuli has already been widely criticised for his reaction to the coronavirus pandemic. | Mr Magufuli has already been widely criticised for his reaction to the coronavirus pandemic. |
| He has encouraged the public to continue gathering in places of worship, while much of the world has faced lockdown. | He has encouraged the public to continue gathering in places of worship, while much of the world has faced lockdown. |
| Tanzania's delay in enforcing stricter measures to prevent further spread of coronavirus in the country could have led to the spike in positive cases, according to the WHO. | Tanzania's delay in enforcing stricter measures to prevent further spread of coronavirus in the country could have led to the spike in positive cases, according to the WHO. |
| The country has 480 confirmed cases of coronavirus but Mr Magufuli said that number may be exaggerated and that he doubted the credibility of the national laboratory. | The country has 480 confirmed cases of coronavirus but Mr Magufuli said that number may be exaggerated and that he doubted the credibility of the national laboratory. |
| He said that he had secretly had some animals and fruits tested at the laboratory and that a papaya (paw-paw), a quail and a goat returned positive samples. | He said that he had secretly had some animals and fruits tested at the laboratory and that a papaya (paw-paw), a quail and a goat returned positive samples. |
| "That means there is possibility for technical errors or these imported reagents have issues," he said, without giving more detail. | "That means there is possibility for technical errors or these imported reagents have issues," he said, without giving more detail. |
| You may also be interested in: | You may also be interested in: |
| Correction 5 May 2020: This story has been amended. Lova Hasinirina Ranoromaro is the chief of staff to Madagascar's president. |