An “effective traditional treatment” based on the anti-malarial drug Artemisia is providing “encouraging clinical trials” against Covid-19 in the island nation of Madagascar.Called “CVO or Covid-Organics,” it was developed by a team of researchers at the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research (IMRA), with the support of their peers in the United States and China.

 Faced with the Covid-19 pandemic, is the solution finally emerging from Madagascar? 

President Andry Rajoelina last week announced that an effective treatment for the coronavirus has been developed by the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research (IMRA).

 Rajoelina believes his country has a global role to play in containing the coronavirus. 

After mentioning a miracle cure based on traditional plants without naming it on April 8, the Malagasy president officially launched a treatment developed by researchers at the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research (IMRA) on April 19.

 “Today, dear compatriots, I officially announce that the trials of the traditional remedy produced by IMRA against the virus have been effective. We can say that beneficial effects have been observed on Covid-19 patients in Madagascar,” he said during his intervention on the TVM channel.

 This announcement comes at the end of a study lasting more than a month, carried out by a team of IMRA researchers, with the support of the Malagasy government and researchers in the United States and China who collaborated with the island nation in the manufacturing process of the treatment.

 Preventive and curative treatment

 After encouraging initial clinical trials, April 20 marks the start of nationwide administration of “”VO or Covid-Organics,” an improved traditional medicine made from Artemisia and Malagasy medicinal plants. 

This treatment will initially be administered to students before they return to school as a preventive measure to strengthen their immune system.

 One month after the entry into force of the state of health emergency, within the context of easing the lockdown, the announcement of the local production of this improved traditional pharmacopoeia remedy provided an opportunity to clarify its composition.

 This remedy combining the medicinal plant Artemisia annua as the basis for preventive and curative treatment of Covid-19, with other endemic medicinal plants, has proven its efficacy on patients suffering from the virus on the island.

 To date, the country has 39 patients cured thanks to this remedy, and no deaths have been recorded.

 Artemisia, a notorious antimalarial drug

 Artemisia annua is a widely used plant known for its effectiveness in the fight against malaria, which Prof. Albert Rakoto Ratsimamanga, founder of IMRA, was the first to study in Madagascar.

 IMRA researchers have used their years of work against malaria to develop Covid-Organics, while clinical trials based on chloroquine, another anti-malarial treatment, are another promising international avenue.

 Very early on, Madagascar started a dual therapy protocol based on chloroquine and azithromycin in combination with preventive and curative treatment based on medicinal plants. 

The Malagasy population being adept at traditional medicine, made it possible to reveal the virtues of certain medicinal plants in the treatment of coronavirus.

 Towards international validation?

 To establish the credibility of this remedy internationally, Andry Rajoelina has announced the upcoming start of therapeutic trials in foreign laboratories and negotiations are currently underway in this regard.

 Pending further details, this treatment is undoubtedly an interesting avenue for both preventive and curative treatment. 

Introduced in Madagascar in the 1960s, Artemisia has already proved its worth in China and Africa against malaria.

China has used it against Covid-19.

 If the results of the Malagasy study are endorsed internationally, the CVO would have the dual advantage of not requiring a heavy production line and being able to be produced on a large scale, as the country has the largest stock of Artemisia in the world.

This breakthrough, which could shake up the medical world, could well propel Madagascar to the forefront of the international health scene and be a godsend for the country.