PTF receives 5 cartons of Madagascar's coronavirus 'cure'

Nigeria's Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 says it has received five cartons of what has been touted as a cure for the coronavirus disease from the government of Madagascar.

The President of Guinea Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, delivered the consignment to Nigeria when he met President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Saturday, May 16, 2020.

The chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha, announced during a daily media briefing on Tuesday, May 19 that the task force has taken charge of the herbal solution.

"Those five cartons were delivered to me yesterday (Monday) evening," he said.

Mustapha, who's also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), said the solution will undergo a process of validation that will be overseen by the Ministry of Health.

He also remarked that contrary to reports that Nigeria was charged millions of naira for the delivery of the consignment, he has not seen an invoice to verify that.

Controversial coronavirus 'cure'

The herbal tea, named COVID-Organics, has attracted controversy since it was launched last month by Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina who claims it has cured people infected by the novel disease.

The herbal tea, produced by the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research (IMRA), was created from the Artemisia plant which has been used in malaria drugs.

Even though Madagascar's national medical academy has warned that no scientific evidence has been established that COVID-Organics works, the government already distributed the herbal tea to citizens and shipped samples to other African countries.

The herbal tea has not undergone any scientific testing recognized internationally and has raised concerns from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Nigeria's Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said last week COVID-Organics will not be used as coronavirus treatment in the country until it has been confirmed to be safe for consumption, and works for the purpose that has been claimed.