Fano Rasolo: Very optimistic comments. Despite a sudden increase in the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus last weekend, the President of the Republic, Andry Rajoelina made a speech of the most optimistic yesterday during his speech devoted to the health crisis of coronavirus on national television.
He announced yesterday, from the Iavoloha State Palace, the construction within a month of a pharmaceutical factory transforming in particular Artemisia, the famous plant, to treat diseases like the coronavirus.
“ Thanks to this pharmaceutical factory that we are going to build within a month, we will be able to produce Madagascan medicines by transforming artemisia. There is worldwide evidence that this herb can cure prostate cancer, schistosomiasis, malaria and other diseases. We have acquired the experience of treating and healing the coronavirus with the tambavy Covid-Organics obtained from this plant. Madagascar has the largest amount of artemisia in Africa and also the best quality. Our annual artemisia production exceeds three thousand (3,000) tonnes, ”boasts the Head of State. Indeed, the rate of artemisinin found in Madagascan plants is higher (between 1.3% to 1.5%) than that found in other countries (between 0.8% and 1% in China).
In any case, Andry Rajoelina believes hard as iron and bet on artemisia to boost the development of the country. ” The transformation of this medicinal plant will accelerate the economic development of the country and will make Madagascar one of the most emerging countries in Africa, ” he said.
Injection
The Head of State encouraged the Malagasy population to produce artemisia. For several years, Madagascar has exported artemisinin, the active ingredient extracted from artemisia annua, to pharmaceutical laboratories such as Sanofi and worldwide, such as in India and China. “ From now on, the artemisia will no longer leave Madagascar and we will take care of its transformation. In this area, Madagascar will exercise its own sovereignty, ”announces Andry Rajoelina.
“ Many foreign scientists show great interest in cooperating with Madagascar on artemisia. Starting next week, we will collaborate with scientists from the United States to develop an injectable form of artemisia (no longer tambavy) to cure the coronavirus, and we will conduct clinical trials ”, a- he stressed.
Malagasy researchers will collaborate with foreign researchers and laboratories as part of this project.
As a reminder, in 2016, 1,800 metric tonnes of dry artemisia annua leaves were produced by the company Bionnex, enough to supply 1.8 tonnes of artemisinin per month. Nearly ten thousand farmers cultivate this plant on behalf of Bionexx, on several hundred hectares spread over different sites across the island.
