Gone Nuts: Madagascan President launches "cure" for Covid-19

Even when scientists globally are still scratching their heads to find a cure let alone a vaccine for Covid-19, Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina officially launched a medicine he claimed "can prevent and cure" patients suffering from the virus.

Developed by the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research and branded COVID Organics, President Rajoelina presented the so-called remedy to the press on Monday.

It contains Artemisia, a plant cultivated on the Big Island to fight against malaria.

“All trials and tests have been conducted and its effectiveness in reducing the elimination of symptoms has been proven for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 in Madagascar,” the president said.

A presidential decree said COVID-organics is mandatory for children returning to school on Wednesday.

President Rajoelina said Monday that it had cured two COVID-19 cases.

“The Covid-Organics will be distributed free of charge to our most vulnerable compatriots and sold at very low prices to others. All profits will be donated to IMRA to finance scientific research,” the president wrote on Twitter..

“I’m convinced that, in fact history will prove us, but today there are already two cases that have been cured with the Covid-organics, but we’ll actually see what happens next.”

“Covid Organics will be used in profilaxis, i.e. preventive, but clinical observations have shown a trend towards its effectiveness in curative, other clinical studies are currently underway,” he stressed at the launch.

There remains no proven cure for Covid-19 according to World Health Organisation and virologists.