The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it is investigating
traditional medical products for the treatment of COVID-19.
In a statement issued on Monday, the organisation said it
“recognises that traditional, complementary and alternative medicine has many
benefits and Africa has a long history of traditional medicine and
practitioners that play an important role in providing care to populations”.
In recent times, there have been treatment options offered
on traditional medicine, including one by a group of researchers in Edo state,
who say they have produced a herbal drug “specifically for the treatment of
COVID-19”, although NAFDAC insists it has not approved any herbal cure for
COVID-19.
Citing medicinal plants such as Artemisia annua which are
being considered as possible treatments for COVID-19, WHO said such plants have
to be tested for efficacy and adverse side effects.
“Africans deserve to use medicines tested to the same
standards as people in the rest of the world. Even if therapies are derived
from traditional practice and natural, establishing their efficacy and safety
through rigorous clinical trials is critical,” it read.
The organisation noted that it is working with research
institutions to “select traditional medicine products which can be investigated
for clinical efficacy and safety for COVID-19 treatment”.
It also said it would continue to support countries “as they
explore the role of traditional health practitioners in prevention, control,
and early detection of the virus as well as case referral to health
facilities”.
“As efforts are underway to find treatment for COVID-19,
caution must be taken against misinformation, especially on social media, about
the effectiveness of certain remedies. Many plants and substances are being
proposed without the minimum requirements and evidence of quality, safety and efficacy,”
it added.
“The use of products to treat COVID-19, which have not been
robustly investigated can put people in danger, giving a false sense of
security and distracting them from hand washing and physical distancing which
are cardinal in COVID-19 prevention, and may also increase self-medication and
the risk to patient safety.
“WHO welcomes every opportunity to collaborate with
countries and researchers to develop new therapies and encourages such
collaboration for the development of effective and safe therapies for Africa
and the world.”
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