THE WORLD STILL FACE THE UGLY SIDE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC

As the World still face the ugly side of Covid-19 pandemic, news came up from African continent with Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina promoting a herbal tonic for treating Covid-19. With excitement from fellow leaders on the continent, The Madagascar President immediately held an online meeting with some African Presidents to discuss this herbal tonic known as Covid-Organics. Although African Union (AU) wanted to see the Scientific data on the “Safety and Efficacy” of the product, several leaders would not wait any longer and placed their orders for this miraculous tonic.
Countries like Guinea- Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, DRC and now Tanzania have ordered for Covid-Organics which is produced from Artmisia plant.

By Amos Ssemalulu

This has reminded me of my late Grandmother Elizabeth (Zabeeti) Namatovu when she heard about the invention of the HIV/AIDS drug in 1989 by Yoanina Nanyonga of Lutunku Mawogola County currently Ssembabule District, had come up with a “miracle cure” and people ate soil. This grandma rushed to discuss with my late father her son about the miracle cure (Soil). My father was very hesitant and refused to go for this soil despite advice from her Mother. When the grand Mum, came back home, she was very restless and started saying that “Omwaana wange tayinza kufa nga ndaba, ate nga eddagala welili” literally meaning that her son couldn’t succumb to AIDS yet there was a healer. As a parent, she mobilised transport and brought nearly a full bucket of sand for her beloved son. However, convincing my father to take this soil was also a hurdle as he was an approval from MoH and WHO confirming its efficacy which was not forthcoming. With stories from neighbors he also mixed soil and had his dosage but later succumbed to full blown AIDS in 1993.

This aside, my experience with MRC/UVRI and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicines (LSHTM) gave me an insight of how a potential drug like a Vaccine is tested in all four phases before it goes to the general population save for Emumbwa and Amaanyi ge kisajja where everyone is a Pharmacist in Uganda and can ably prescribe. WHO and Africa CDC have all welcomed this innovation from Madagascar based on traditional remedies and plants but cautioned the use of untested traditional herbs before ascertaining their efficacy and assessing adverse side effects which Madagascar is refusing.
There are dozens of Research Projects trying to find a vaccine in Oxford London, Makerere University and across the World but experts believe that it could take about 12-18 months for a vaccine to become available. Madagascar has also recorded 158 Covid cases with no deaths. There has never been a Vaccine that has got no approval from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a body responsible for ensuring safety, efficacy and security of human and veterinary drugs. THERE IS NO shortcut about this. The traditional medicine men can’t claim that they have found a cure for Covid-19. There is a standard operating procedure (SPO) for which rigorous clinical trials is very critical. The whole World deserve to use the medicines as tested through the same standards no matter where therapies are derived from China, Argentina or New Zealand.

Lastly, Covid-19 has indeed taught us a very good lesson that we are all very vulnerable no matter where/who you are. Collaboration is therefore required from Researchers, Scientists, Clinicians as well as Traditional herbalists to work in partnership as a team for the wellness of our communities.

The writer is a Researcher and a Public Health Specialist