Covid-19: WHO Supports Search For Local Cure In Africa, Inaugurates Traditional Medicine Committee
Routing for medical solutions to the Coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC), jointly inaugurated a 25-man Committee on traditional medicine.
These experts, according to WHO, would play advisory and supportive roles to health authorities across the continent.
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“Today, @WHO and @AfricaCDC launch the Regional Expert Committee on Traditional Medicine for #COVID19,” WHO Africa Region tweeted.
WHO added that “this a joint effort to enhance research and development of traditional medicines for COVID-19 in #Africa.”
It noted that herbal medicines had helped a great deal in tackling diseases in the continent.
However, it stressed that for the purpose of safety and avoidance of trial and error, it was needful for local remedies to undergo scientific trials.
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“The Expert Committee will start working immediately to support countries in collaborative efforts to conduct clinical trials of traditional medicines in compliance with international standards,” it added.
On her part, Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, on Wednesday, observed that love for local drugs was high in the continent.
As such, she added that the committee would ensure that herbal remedies were safe for administration.
“Interest in traditional medicine as potential remedies for COVID-19 is growing in Africa.
” As the world races to find treatment and vaccines against the virus, research into traditional and orthodox medicines as potential COVID-19 therapy must be grounded in science, and today marks an important step in supporting these endeavours,” she said.
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John Nkengasong, Director of Africa CDC and WHO Special Envoy on COVID-19, maintained that African drugs , like other Western medication, had enormous potential to save lives.
“Commendable efforts are ongoing on the continent to find COVID-19 therapies in traditional medicine.
” Rigorous clinical testing to evaluate safety and efficacy will be critical, similar to other areas of medicine,” he said.
