Senegal’s Health Ministry, on Thursday, confirmed that it is starting clinical trials on Artemisia after receiving samples of Madagascar’s Covid-Organics, an antidote for the new coronavirus.By Oumar Dembele

“The work will start today,” Dr. Aloyse Waly Diouf, Principal Private Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said in an interview with the private radio RFM.

He pointed out that samples were received from Madagascar as announced by President Macky Sall after a telephone chat with his Malagasy counterpart Andre Rajoelina last month .

Professor Daouda Ndiaye, the Coordinator of the Scientific Committee for the drafting of the research protocol on Covid-Organics said: “We will work on a protocol to see how to give it to Senegalese patients.”

The Senegalese protocol is expected to be “preventive and curative,” said the epidemiologist, who also heads the Parasitology-Mycology Department of the University Cheikh Anta Diop of Dakar. 

He added that his team was “in the process of speeding up procedures.”

A treatment described as a “miracle cure” Covid-Organics is a herbal tea just like Artemisia (known in the treatment of malaria) prepared by researchers from the Malagasy Institute for Applied Research (IMRA).

The WHO advised against its use for lack of evidence. 

However, Professor Ndiaye replied that its development rests on “a serious basis,” specifying that Madagascar has provided them with all the information required.”

After a grand launch on April 20, President Rajoelina continued his charm offensive with several of his African peers, emphasizing the healing powers of Covid-Organics against the coronavirus.

Countries such as Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Niger and Congo-Brazzaville have already queued up to receive their orders of Covid-19-Organics, according to Radio France Internationale (RFI).

In Congo, the cargo arrived last Tuesday and was received by the Chief of Staff of the Presidency, Florent Ntsiba.

The products are contained in sachets ready to be “administered in the form of an infusion for the equivalent of 900 treatments, for the care of at least 900 patients,” the Nigerien Minister of Public Health, Doctor Idi Illiassou Mainassara told RF. 

He said documentation is given to the scientific committee which will decide “what to do” next.