Nigeria: Madagascar's herbal drink cannot cure COVID-19

Madagascar’s coronavirus herbal concoction is not as potent as claimed to cure the coronavirus, said Nigeria’s state-run pharmaceutical research institute.

In a reported presented to the Health Ministry on Sunday, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) said safety studies show that Covid-Organics (CVO) do not alter the normal physiology of the animals.

In April, Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina officially launched the CVO -- an organic herbal concoction -- claiming that it can prevent and cure patients of the novel coronavirus.

Obi Adigwe, NIPRD’s director general, told reporters that Madagascar officials were hiding CVO analysis.

“They are hiding a lot of things and I think it is possible that they know that they don’t have strong science backing up their claim. But our own analysis does not show any proof that it can cure COVID-19,” he was quoted by local daily The Punch as saying.

Adigwe said the analysis they presented in the report is more detailed than what they received from Madagascar.

“CVO reduced cough frequency with the maximum dose tested, producing an effect equivalent to that produced by the centrally acting cough-suppressant, dihydrocodeine,” he added.

Madagascar’s president had urged citizens to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus by drinking CVO.

However, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned against the use of CVO without medical supervision and cautioned against self-medication.

The Indian Ocean island of Madagascar has also donated CVO to several African countries.

Earlier this month, Madagascar authorities re-imposed a total lockdown in the Analamanga region due to the rise in coronavirus cases. It has also opened new coronavirus treatment centers.