Finding a cure for COVID-19 in Africa
The race for a remedy for coronavirus, otherwise known as Covid-19 has gathered full steam as the pandemic is unrelentingly devastating countries. In the United States, more than a million people have been infected with more than 104,000 dead at the time of writing. Finding a cure and relief for such a virus is a slow and labored process. The fast spread of the virus is nothing like its sister epidemics as SARS and MERS and H1N1 among others, which stayed their courses and did not linger for any protracted period.
A few treatments have been suggested as possible cures and have even been adopted in the United States and elsewhere. One such drug is hydroxychloroquine, a common medication for malaria in Africa and the tropics. It has, however, been discredited by the World Health Organization (WHO) as its provenance is in doubt. With confirmed cases of 146,794, 4,223 deaths, and 61,773 recoveries (as of June 1, 2020) in Africa the pandemic has not been as prominent as has been expected. WHO, the United Nations and Pamela Gates, wife of Microsoft’s Bill Gates have all been apprehensive of Africa’s reaction and response as a result of the continent’s poor and inadequate health care systems. Ms. Gates was extremely alarmed at the possible repercussions in Africa saying it wouldn’t be long before dead bodies would be seen scattered on streets in Africa. Contrary to the ominous prognostics, the continent with its rickety healthcare delivery systems has held on much to the amazement to the rest of the world.
Governments have been assiduous in ensuring that the preventive protocols are observed. There have been long periods of lockdowns that ensured less exposure and limited person to person contacts. Mass meetings for all kinds of reasons are also banned and have been in force since the middle of March, 2020. Since there is no prescribed medication many Ghanaians for instance would not wait to be infected to put themselves on preventive treatment.
The treatment of choice includes neem leaves, ginger, peppers, hot teas and soups. And they all appear to be effective. COA FS, a dietary supplement that supports the immune system to naturally treat and prevent Cancers, Viral Hepatitis, Retro Viral infections, Diabetes, Hypertension, Blood pressure and blood related diseases and other chronic disease is said to be among some of the most popular. It is even believed that China has purchased a quantity for use in the country from where COVID-19 emerged.
From Madagascar, the island country at the foot of the continent comes the COVID-Organics claimed by the country as a cure for COVID-19. The World Health Organization has, however, not endorsed the medication as an approved cure. It must be mentioned that to date, none of the claimed medications and treatments has been endorsed or approved by the WHO. In addition, African countries are involved in finding other scientific approaches. Ghana recently announced that its Noguchi Memorial Medical Research Institute has been able to find 15 sequences of COVID -19 and are working to find an appropriate remedy. Other countries are doing same. It is believed that research centers in Africa are collaborating to work toward finding a cure.
Notwithstanding the doubts and suspicions and even ridicule that surround herbal medicine in Africa there have been many successes. The Centre for Plant Medicine Research at Mampong, Akwapim in Ghana is involved in a research for herbal alternative for COVID -19. A plant medical research center for many years it is the first of its kind in Africa and continues to be relevant in the country’s healthcare delivery system.
Amandla believes Africa’s continuous efforts at working to contain the deadly pandemic must be recognized and encouraged rather than the condescending attitudes of the so-called developed world.
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