Madagascar sends troops, doctors to virus-hit eastern town

Yahoo – AFP, May 25, 2020

Madagascar has made wearing face masks obligatory during the pandemic
(AFP Photo/RIJASOLO)

Antananarivo (AFP) - Madagascar's government has announced it will dispatch troops and doctors to an eastern town after several bodies were found in the streets and where two people died from the novel coronavirus.

Madagascar's cabinet held a special meeting on Sunday to discuss the situation in Toamasina, the country's second largest city.

The Indian Ocean island nation has registered 527 infections and two deaths, both in Toamasina.

Since Thursday, more than 120 new cases were confirmed, and several bodies were found in the city's streets though the cause of death was not clear.

"Doctors must carry out thorough examinations to see if these deaths are caused by another illness (...) or if they are really due to severe acute respiratory problems which is the critical form of COVID-19," Professor Hanta Marie Danielle Vololontiana, spokesperson for the government's virus taskforce, said in a national broadcast on Sunday.

The government will send 150 soldiers to reinforce Toamasina, maintain order and enforce measures against the coronavirus such as mask wearing and social distancing.

The cabinet also fired Toamasina's prefect without providing any explanation.

A team was also ordered to distribute a drink based on artemisia, a plant recognised as a treatment against malaria, which the Malagasy authorities claim cures COVID-19.

The potential benefits of this herbal tea, called Covid-Organics, have not been validated by any scientific study.

The cabinet has also announced an investigation into the death of a doctor in Toamasina. According to local press, the victim was hospitalised after contracting COVID-19 and was found dead hanged in his room on Sunday morning.

Madagascar virus potion scorned because it's from Africa: president

Yahoo – AFP, May 11, 2020

Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina sips Covid Organics, which he
touts as a remedy for coronavirus (AFP Photo/RIJASOLO)

Antananarivo (AFP) - Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina on Monday batted away criticism for promoting a homegrown "remedy" for COVID-19, charging that the West has a condescending attitude toward traditional African medicine.

"If it wasn't Madagascar, and if it was a European country that had actually discovered this remedy, would there be so much doubt? I don't think so," he told French media in an interview.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly warned that the Covid-Organics infusion, which Rajoelina has touted as a remedy against the deadly coronavirus, has not been clinically tested.

The drink is derived from artemisia -- a plant with proven anti-malarial properties -- and other indigenous herbs.

"African scientists... should not be underestimated," he told France 24 and Radio France International (RFI).

"I think the problem is that (the drink) comes from Africa and they can't admit... that a country like Madagascar... has come up with this formula to save the world," said Rajoelina, who claims the infusion cures patients within 10 days.

Already Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Niger and Tanzania have taken delivery of consignments of the potion, which was launched last month.

"No country or organisation will keep us from going forward," Rajoelina said in response to the WHO's concerns.

He said proof of the tonic's efficacy was in "the healing of our sick".

Madagascar has officially reported 183 coronavirus infections and 105 recoveries, with no deaths.

"The patients who were cured were cured through the administration of Covid-Organics alone," the president said.

He referred to the remedy as "an improved traditional medicine", adding that Madagascar was not conducting clinical trials but "clinical observations" in accordance with WHO guidelines.

Related Article:

WHO cautions against use of Madagascar anti-virus potion

WHO cautions against use of Madagascar anti-virus potion

Yahoo – AFP, Philippe Alfroy, May 7, 2020

Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina drinks a sample of Covid Organics which
he touted as a remedy for coronavirus (AFP Photo/RIJASOLO)

Johannesburg (AFP) - The World Health Organization on Thursday advised governments to clinically test a herbal drink touted by Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina as a remedy against coronavirus.

The Covid-Organics infusion is derived from artemisia -- a plant with proven anti-malarial properties -- and other indigenous herbs.

Rajoelina hopes to distribute the infusion across West Africa and beyond, claiming it cures COVID-19 patients within 10 days.

Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Niger have already received consignments of the potion. Others such as Tanzania have expressed interest.

But the World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly warned that there are no published scientific studies of the herbal tea and that its effects have not been tested.

"We would caution and advise countries against adopting a product that has not been taken through tests to see its efficacy," WHO Africa Director Matshidiso Moeti said in a press briefing on Thursday, calling on Madagascar to take the drink "through a clinical trial".

Moeti said that in 2000, African governments had committed to taking "traditional therapies" through the same clinical trials as other medication.

"I can understand the need, the drive to find something that can help," Moeti said. "But we would very much like to encourage this scientific process in which the governments themselves made a commitment."

Rajoelina defended his tonic during a coronavirus screening campaign in Madagascar's eastern city of Toamasina on Thursday.

"The WHO has indicated that artemisia could lead to a cure for coronavirus," the president said, promising to submit the drink to clinical trials.

Scepticism remains

Earlier this week, the WHO recognised artemisia as a "possible treatment" for COVID-19. But the organisation also repeated its calls for more rigorous testing.

South Africa's Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Wednesday said Madagascar had reached out for "help" with scientific research.

"Our scientists would be able to assist with this research," Mkhize tweeted, adding that South Africa would only "get involved in a scientific analysis of the herb".

The country has the highest number of coronavirus cases in sub-Saharan Africa, with 7,808 infections and 153 fatalities recorded to date.

Neighbouring eSwatini -- a tiny landlocked nation wedged between South Africa and Mozambique -- said it would not consider Rajoelina's tonic for the time being.

"It is important as a country to first ascertain where such herbal products have been tested," she said Health Minister Lizzie Nkosi on Thursday.

"We have to do adequate proper research and be sure that the product works."

To date eSwatini has reported 123 cases of coronavirus, including two deaths.

Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has debunked claims that it had ordered a package of Covid-Organics from a "third country".

"We are aware that several claims of a COVID-19 cure have been made in different parts of the world," ECOWAS said in a statement on Wednesday.

"But we can only support and endorse products that have been shown to be effective through scientific study."

Using traditional healers to tackle AIDS

RNW, by Maike Winters, 16 April 2012      

 (Photo: Tanja Odijk)

   

What is a U-process?

The U-process was developed by Otto
Scharmer of the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology to bring about radical 
social change in groups of people and 
organisations.

The letter U stands for the various phases
the group has to go through. In the ‘sensing’
phase everyone involved is given the 
opportunity to present their own vision on a
certain matter.  Then the whole group sees
the extent of the problem in reality. This is
followed by the ‘presencing’ phase, in which
the members of the group join in silence.
Everyone asks themselves how to tackle the
problem. Then comes the  co-creation phase,
in which the solutions are  developed further.

“What is the point of fair trade oranges from South Africa, when the orange pickers die of HIV/AIDS?” That’s what aid worker Tanja Odijk wondered after years of working with this group. So she asked the workers themselves how to improve the situation. They pointed out that they mainly sought help from traditional healers. But how can you use traditional healers when Western health organisations see them as quacks?

“Traditional healers play an important role in South African society. Around 80 percent of people turn to them first when they become ill. Some work with plants, others believe in the powers of their forefathers. And of course there are swindlers among them. Some even claim to cure HIV. Nevertheless the South African government recognises traditional healers a part of the regular health system,” says Ms Odijk, who has been an aid worker for more than 20 years.

Up to now, attempts to bring Western health organisations and traditional healers closer together have failed. “UNAIDS has set up a programme that tries to close the gap. That is great of course, but the problem is traditional healers are asked to learn Western methods to treat HIV and AIDS. That is like asking Christians to become Muslim. That doesn’t work.”

Forefathers

Ms Odijk has chosen a different approach together with a number of NGOs. She got 52 healers from the Limpopo region to give their vision on HIV. Once everyone had got a picture of the extent of the problem they joined each other in ‘silence’, before they started coming up with ideas to tackle the epidemic. This is a so-called 'U-process', which is often used in businesses. The idea is to find solutions in a number of steps.

“We went to a place which many healers have a special relationship with. They felt the presence of their forefathers as soon as they got there and saw healing plants. It was great to have an open debate like this with such a big group of healers, who usually keep the secret of their powers to themselves. The solutions came by themselves.”

Sceptical

Chishi Mashile, of the traditional healers association in the region, is enthusiastic about the process. “We were given the opportunity to come up with our own ideas. Normally, we are not shown this amount of respect from Western organisations: this was a completely different approach. All the healers are very positive about the experience.”

The healers said they wanted to make a special herb garden and to research plants which make the immune systems of HIV patients pick up. They also decided to do training to become counsellors for patients, so that they could carry out their own HIV tests. Unfortunately, a new problem arose: money.

Theo Groot, who has worked with Ms Odijk for many years on the orange farms, understands why there is a lack of money. “The farms are very commercial. There is plenty of money, but farm managers are sceptical, after all seasonal workers can easily be replaced.”

Solutions

The U-process has potential thinks Mr Groot. “I believe in it, but we need to apply it on a much bigger scale before we can draw conclusions. It is a new way of working, but development aid is ready for change. The advantage of the U-process is that it exposes the complexity of the problem and lets people come up with their own solutions.”

Could this be Development Aid 2.0? Ms Odijk: “I hope very much that this becomes the new way of working and that I can contribute to it. Hopefully, in the future we will really be able to say that South African oranges are fair trade products.”

Traditional healers. (Photo: Tanja Odijk) 

Traditional healers. (Photo: Tanja Odijk)