WHO WILL LOSE WHEN SOLUTIONS COME FROM AFRICA? COVID 19 ORGANICS CONTROVERSY

Steaming under the radar of the COVID 19 pandemic, and the quest for response, is the controversy regarding Africa’s Madagascar claim that it has discovered a COVID organics (CVO), a herbal drink that is said to prevent and cure patients suffering from the novel coronavirus.

Madagascar has reported 171 coronavirus infections and 105 recoveries to date, with no deaths. According to Madagascar,’ The patients who have healed have taken no other product than Covid-Organics," some African countries are already ordering the herbal remedy. Madagascar has a long history of traditional medicine

The World Health Organization’s regional director for Africa, and the African Union has expressed willingness to collaborate with Madagascar for facilitate clinical testing. WHO is advising the government of Madagascar to take this product through a clinical trial” but was “willing to collaborate with them”. But there is silence from the rest of the world.

Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina defended his promotion of the controversial homegrown remedy for Covid-19 despite an absence of clinical trials. "It works really well," he said of the herbal drink Covid-Organics.

I will like to state upfront that this posting is not a verification of the effectiveness of COVID 19 organics, but I am speaking out regarding global dismissiveness regarding it potential effectiveness. I stand with Madagascar’s President, Rajoelina claim that if a European country had discovered the remedy, people would not be so skeptical.

I fully echo his question "What is the problem with Covid-Organics, really? Could it be that this product comes from Africa? Could it be that it's not OK for a country like Madagascar, which is the 63rd poorest country in the world... to have come up with (this formula) that can help save the world?" asked Rajoelina, who claims the infusion cures patients within ten days. Rajoelina has also reminded the world that many pharmaceutical drugs authorized in the West have turned out to be harmful.

Rajoelina’s call to fellow Africans that international organizations have been created to facilitate the exploitation of Africa is valid. He says that international organizations have been created to keep Africa dependent on the West.

We must stop waiting for Western institutions to validate our resources. When we say validated by clinical testing, whose clinical testing and what should be the proof of that validation?

With a prediction by the World Health Organization that nearly a quarter of a billion people across 47 African countries will catch coronavirus over the next year, although due to the young population in the continent, the fatalities will remain less than that of Europe or North America, I am excited about the potential of COVID Organics.

I can understand the hesitancy from the West, health care is big business for the West. If big pharmaceutical companies in the West are not clear on how they can profit from a cure, they will not endorse it.

When multilateral and international organization scream dire predictions on Africa they do so to get funding from Western donors. When solutions come from Africa it would kill humanitarian and development businesses in the West, and for African gatekeepers for Africa’s exploitation.

Bottom line, Africa and Africans must stop waiting for approval from the West. The South must stop waiting for solutions from the North. It is good to note that many African countries are requesting for COVID organics. This is one time it makes sense not to err on the side of caution. It will not be the first-time solutions for the world is coming from Africa. This time we will be watching closely. Let’s see how the world will adopt COVID organics ingredients without due credit to its source: Africa.