Buhari receives herbal COVID-19 remedy from Madagascar

By our reporter| President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday received a herbal remedy for the COVID-19 from Madagascar.

Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, who made the disclosure in a series of Tweets, said, samples of the native remedy were brought by the President of Guinea Bissau, Umaro Embalo.

However, he noted that President Buhari reiterated that all necessary procedures will be put in place before allowing traditional or any new medicines to be administered on Nigerians.

“We have our institutions, systems and processes in the country. Any such formulations should be sent to them for verification. I will not put it to use without the endorsement of our institutions,” Buhari was quoted to have said.

Shehu’s tweet read, ”President Muhammadu Buhari Saturday at the State House, Abuja, received the Madagascan native formulation against the #Covid-19 pandemic, and reiterated that he will listen to science before allowing traditional or any new medicines to be administered on Nigerians”.

This comes days after the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it had met with 70 traditional medicine experts in a bid to find a cure for the COVID-19.

The health organisation said an agreement was reached with the herbal medicine experts on clinical trials of their remedies, a day after after Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina batted away criticism for promoting a homegrown “remedy” for the COVID-19, charging that the west has a condescending attitude towards traditional African medicine.

“70 traditional medicine experts from countries across #Africa held a virtual meeting with @WHO on the role of traditional medicine in the #COVID19 response.

“They unanimously agreed that clinical trials must be conducted for all medicines in the Region, without exception,” the WHO had tweeted.