The ECOWAS Commission has refuted a report that it, along with its health Institution, West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO), has ordered COVID Organics (CVO) medicines.
The Directorate of Communications, ECOWAS Commission, debunked the report in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
According to the statement, the ECOWAS Commission and WAHO reiterate their commitments to delivering on the decisions made by the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government at their recent Extraordinary Summit on the fight against COVID-19.
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“We wish to disassociate ECOWAS and its health institution, West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO), from this claim and inform the general public that we have not ordered the said CVO medication.
“We are aware that several claims of COVID-19 cure have been made in different parts of the world, but we can only support and endorse products that have been shown to be effective through scientific study.
“For this reason, WAHO is collaborating with relevant partners including WHO, African CDC, and national, regional and international research consortia to promote the scientific search for a cure.
“We are working with member-states on some of the medications available for clinical trials and for use on a compassionate basis in selected severe cases.
“Some of the traditional medicine centres of excellence in the ECOWAS region are also currently investigating products of potential efficacy,” it said.
According to the statement, ECOWAS Commission and WAHO will continue to focus on delivering on the decisions made by the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government at their recent Extraordinary Summit on the fight against COVID-19.
“One of which is to strengthen cooperation among member-states in research, training and experience sharing in health matters in general and in the fight against COVID-19 in particular,” it said.
The statement said WAHO, as part of its mandate to safeguard and improve the health of the region’s population, remained committed to promoting rational traditional medicine practices and products in the ECOWAS region.
It said that over the years, WAHO has worked consistently with ECOWAS member-states to scientifically investigate plant medicines of proven efficacy.
It noted that the medicines were documented in the Pharmacopoeia of Traditional Medicines, the second edition of which would be published next two weeks.
It added that WAHO had, in the recent past identified, nurtured and supported centres of excellence in traditional medicine across the region.