The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday announced that it conducted a virtual meeting with 70 African experts of traditional medicine regarding the treatment of coronavirus.
The WHO’s Regional Office for Africa, via it’s official twitter account, disclosed that the meeting with experts across Africa centered on the role of traditional medicine in the fight against COVID-19.
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In Africa, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases reached 66,373 while 3,048 new infections are recorded over the past 24 hours, said the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday.
”They unanimously agreed that clinical trials must be conducted for all medicines in the Region, without exception,” WHO said, adding no further information.
The announcement of the meeting came only one day after Andry Rajoelina, Madagascar President criticized the United Nations health agency for not endorsing his Covid Organics (CVO), a traditional organic herbal drink, it says can prevent and cure patients suffering from the dreaded coronavirus.
The WHO immediately warned against the use of CVO without any medical supervision and also cautioned people against self-medication. The WHO has however called for clinical trials of the Covid Organics from Madagascar.
“We are advising the government of Madagascar to take this product through a clinical trial and we are prepared to collaborate with them,” Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO’s regional director for Africa, announced last week.
After emanating from China in December of 2019, COVID-19 has spread to at least 187 countries and regions of the world. Presently, Europe and the US are the worst-hit regions.
Following the death toll, the pandemic has claimed the lives of over 286,600 people worldwide, with total infections amounting to more than 4.19 million, while recoveries exceeded 1.46 million, according to figures compiled by the US’ Johns Hopkins University.
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