The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday it was encouraging research into natural medicines in Africa in the face of Covid-19 and other epidemics.
Experts from the WHO and two other organizations have "
approved a protocol for phase 3 clinical trials of herbal medicine for Covid-19,
" the WHO said in a statement dated from Brazzaville, its regional headquarters on the continent.
Read also: Is hydroxychloroquine widely used around the world, as Didier Raoult says?
“
Phase 3 clinical trials are essential to fully assess the safety and efficacy of a new medical product,
” said WHO.
"
If a traditional medicine product proves to be safe, effective and of assured quality, WHO will recommend large-scale and rapid local manufacture
," said WHO Africa official, Dr Prosper Tumusiime, quoted in the communicated.
WHO's two partners are the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the African Union Commission on Social Affairs.
They are grouped together in a regional expert committee on traditional medicine for Covid-19.
"Artemisia"
The epidemic has revived the debate on traditional medicines in Africa.
Madagascar has delivered to several African countries batches of a beverage based on artemisia, a plant with recognized therapeutic effect against malaria, presented by its president Andry Rajoelina as effective against Covid-19.
"
Our (African) governments made a commitment in 2000 (...) to treat traditional remedies like other drugs by subjecting them to trials
", then declared in May the WHO regional manager, Dr Matshidiso Moeti .
“
I recommend that these resolutions (...) be followed
”, she added, “
we are living in difficult times, I can understand the need to find solutions but I encourage respect for the scientific processes on which our governments are committed
”.