Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina has hit back at critics of an untested herbal tonic that he is promoting as a treatment for coronavirus, despite it not having gone through clinical trials.
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning against people using untested remedies for coronavirus.
Africans deserved access to medicines that had gone through proper trials even if they were derived from traditional treatments, it said.
The African Union (AU) has also said it wanted to see the scientific data on the "safety and efficacy" of the product.
Nevertheless, the tonic, known as Covid-Organics, has been sent to several African countries. Nigeria has become the latest country to say it would receive it.
Speaking to French news channel, France 24, Mr Rajoelina said that criticism of the drink, known as Covid-Organics, showed what he called Western nations' condescending attitude to 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 said.
But there is no peer-reviewed data to show that Covid-Organics is effective.
The tonic was tested on fewer than 20 people over three weeks, a presidential aide told the BBC - which is not in line with WHO guidelines on clinical trials.
A meeting of 70 experts on African traditional medicine has agreed that clinical trials for all medicines must be carried out, the WHO's Africa region has tweeted.
70 traditional medicine experts from countries across #Africa held a virtual meeting with @WHO on the role of traditional medicine in the #COVID19 response.
— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) May 12, 2020
They unanimously agreed that clinical trials must be conducted for all medicines in the Region, without exception. pic.twitter.com/fCKYiYiMqb
There has also been warning from experts that the drink could give people a false sense of security which could lead people to expose themselves to the virus.
Meanwhile, the head of Nigeria's government task force on coronavirus has said President Muhammadu Buhari has given the go-ahead for the importation of Covid-Organics.
But officials said the import would be subjected to standard validation processes before it would be used on coronavirus patients.
Latest Stories
-
Former IGP passes on
4 mins -
Ejisu by-election: Kwadaso MP gave money to EC officials out of goodwill – Ahiagbah
20 mins -
Millennium City: Land owner breaks silence on fatal shooting of soldier
21 mins -
Photos of 2024 Aboakyer Festival
57 mins -
#JustTurned18: I now have an opportunity to use my thumb to bring someone into power – Excited prospective voters
1 hour -
OSP acted as a whistleblower transferring Cecilia Dapaah’s case to EOCO – Sammy Darko
1 hour -
IMF calls for tariff adjustment for energy sector cost recovery
2 hours -
Samson’s Take: Journalists, block the pretentious idiots
3 hours -
Real Madrid crowned LaLiga champions after Barcelona’s defeat at Girona
4 hours -
Daniel Otting Awuah elected SRC President of Ghana School of Law
5 hours -
Lawrence Ati-Zigi signs St. Gallen contract extension
5 hours -
We should be careful not to destroy our institutions without just cause – Serebour Quaicoe
5 hours -
Cecilia Dapaah’s case: EOCO hasn’t requested FBI report – Office of the Special Prosecutor
7 hours -
Andre Ayew scores 5th league goal as Le Havre beat Strasbourg
7 hours -
Ejisu by-election: NPP didn’t sanction money distribution to voters – Richard Ahiagbah
7 hours