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Shift Media News 
By Our Reporter
ANTANANARIVO|SHIFTMEDIA| Like the said before, Madagascar has affirmed its decision not to participate in the Covax global initiative for the access to Covid-19 vaccine once they have been approved and licensed.
The government spokesperson confirmed the island will resort to its traditions concoction that its own scientist discovered earlier this year to stem out the virus.
He further said that they were waiting to see the effectiveness of the vaccine first in the countries that will first use it.
This comes amidst reports that the vaccines are being used as a tool by the west to wipe out the black race.
The tonic, based on the plant Artemisia annua which has anti-malarial properties, was not proven by the World Health Organization but had put it on sale to several African countries.
Vaccines in Madagascar have never been popular among the general population. The island in 2018 was among the last four countries in the world registering polio cases from its stance on vaccines.
Madagascar currently has 17,341 cases with no recoveries and 251 deaths.
Hospitals in Madagascar have been struggling to cope with a surge of Covid-19 cases, while the president (below) has been promoting an unproven product he says can cure the disease despite the World Health Organization (WHO) warning against using untested remedies.
Cases have quadrupled in the past months in the Indian Ocean island, with more than 17,000 infections and 251 deaths from coronavirus, which has spread to all but one of its 22 regions.
Despite the spike, President Andry Rajoelina stands by the herbal concoction called Covid-Organics, which was launched to great fanfare in April.
It is produced by the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research from the artemisia plant – the source of an ingredient used in a malaria treatment – and other Malagasy plants.
The drink has been marketed as a prevention and remedy – and for the last four months been offered to children at school.
