President Jovenel Moïse and Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina both discussed the drink during a video conference on Tuesday.
The drink is derived from the artemisia plant, which has long been used in the treatment of malaria, and other indigenous herbs.
Moïse announced the meeting in a Monday night tweet and later shared a video clip of the encounter on his Twitter feed. He said that each government’s scientific groups established to provide advice on the COVID-19 response will soon meet.
Madagascar, which reported its first death from the coronavirus on Sunday, has reported 322 COVID-19 cases.
Rajoelina began making international headlines last month after he launched the concoction, drinking from a branded bottle filled with an orange liquid. At the time, he said the drink had cured two people.
In the clip shared Tuesday by Moïse of their meeting, Rajoelina said the plant has proven its efficiency for many years including back in 2003 with SARS.
“Back then, we were able in fact to heal a large part of the patients through artemisia extracts; that’s why our researchers have pushed the research through medicinal plants,” Rajoelina said.
Moïse called the meeting “fruitful.”
Comments