‘Is it because it is African?’ Madagascar’s President questions COVID cure scorn

Madagascar’s President, Andry Rajoelina, has come out to denounce the criticism levelled against his miracle cure, COVID-Organics.

Rajoelina hit the world consciousness a few weeks ago with claims that CVO was the cure for COVID-19.

Rajoelina called the criticism of the cure unjust. In a TV interview, he said the scorn was because it was from Africa.

“COVID-Organics only problem is that it’s coming from Madagascar, the 163rd poorest nation. If Europeans had discovered it, there would be no single doubt about the COVID cure.” He said in an interview with France 24 and RFI.

‘All recovered patients took it’

Rajoelina stated in the interview that the 105 recovered patients of Madagascar’s 171 coronavirus cases all took the COVID-Organics cure. Madagascar is also among the few countries in Africa to have recorded no death from COVID-19.

However, Rajoelina has also come under his scrutiny from the continent as his push for the cure fails to meet the scientific threshold.

Continental view on Rajoelina

Many on the continent remain open-minded about the possibility of the cure. However, they called on Rajoelina to follow the right channels of scientific verification. If not, then all he was doing was performing ‘quackery.’

“I cannot emphasize enough how much I reject Andry Rajoelina’s quackery. My defense of traditional medicine is of things that are tested over time and proven to work, not things that are cooked up for PR points with no consideration of the risk.” Nanjala Nyabola, a writer on African affairs and an advocate, said in a tweet.

Countries jump onto the cure

Tanzania and Guinea Bissau are among the countries that have already ordered large batches of the supposed cure. South Africa and Senegal are having their labs look at the tonic.

However, WHO and other health organizations still hold that the cure Rajoelina is talking about needs to be proven scientifically. If not, they advise people to keep away.