By Idowu Abdullahi,
President Muhammadu Buhari has taken the delivery of the country’s allocation of the Madagascar Covid-19 herbal syrup touted to be effective in the treatment of coronavirus pandemic, stressing that the vaccine will be subjected to proper verification.
The Guild reports that the Federal Government had last week announced that the nation is set to receive its allocation of the herbal remedies and would facilitate the airlifting of the organic.
The government announcement followed the notification by the President of Madagascar, Andry Ranoelina, that the country had dispatched consignments of the organic to all African countries, and that the consignment for West African countries were sent to Guinea Bissau for dispatch.
But, Buhari, while receiving sample of the herbal remedies from the President of Guinea Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, on Saturday, reiterated that the organic would be subjected to series of validation tests in order to determine efficacy and proper usage before administration would be commenced to coronavirus patients in the country.
The President, through a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Saturday, said the native formulation against the Covid-19 pandemic would be made to undergo all appropriate tests for pharmaceutical validation and that administration would only be allowed to commence after the medicine had been approved for use by relevant authorities.
“We have our institutions, systems and processes in the country. Any such formulations should be sent to them for verification. I will not put it to use without the endorsement of our institutions,” the statement said.
On his part, President Embalo, who hailed Buhari’s leadership said he had come to seek the Nigerian leader advice on the political situation in his country on his plan for a “government of national unity” and a proposed war against corruption in his country.
He also said that his new government met a country beset with a number of issues and problems, the resolution of which would require tremendous assistance from Nigeria.
“Problems of Guinea Bissau are problems of Nigeria. I have come to you as your son. I need your help and assistance to make the people happy. I will not let you down, neither will I put you in any difficult situation,” the visiting leader told President Buhari.
Responding, Buhari commended Embalo on his efforts towards stabilizing the country adding that his political dexterity in getting the opposition to join the proposed unity government remains monumental.
President Buhari restated the determination of Nigeria to keep West Africa politically stable and promised to support the new government in Guinea Bissau.
