In journalism 101 we were taught never to give the oxygen of publicity to quack remedies for dreaded diseases.

That’s why you don’t read, hear or see about cures for cancer in anything approaching responsible media.

Believe me, these emerge daily from the crazies and the con-artists seeking attention or a fast buck.

So it was to be expected that miracle antidotes to COVID 19 would be flung at editors very early on in the pandemic.

They could safely ignore almost all them –  until heads of state got involved.

Madagascar’s deejay turned President Andry Rajoelina seeks international endorsement of a remedy for COVID 19 made from the leaves of the artemisia which has provided relief to some malaria sufferers.

He could have saved his blushes had he sat in on my journalism cadet course all those years ago.

And the bench next to him could usefully have been occupied by the United States television game show star turned President  Donald Trump who advocated another outdated malaria remedy, the outdated chloroquine,  for curing COVID 19.

That was before he  threw the medical reins between the horses last month and urged COVID 19 patients to inject disinfectant and shine ultra violet light into their bodies.

Time magazine reports the American Association of Poison Control Centres finding a 121% increase in poisoning from bleach and other disinfectants in April 2020 over the same month the previous year. 

Rajoelina cannot match Trump’s lethal milestone. However his angry assertion that the African Union has rejected the herbal remedy known as COVID ORGANICS only because it was not developed by a European company shows he has a sense of the ridiculous every bit as well-developed as his Washington counterpart.

And he evidently shares the Donald’s penchant. for disregarding the media that does not reflect his  views.

How else could he have overlooked the storm last month when two French doctors suggested that the COVID 19 vaccine be tested on poor Africans because they have not taken protected measures?

Doctors Camille Locht and Jean-Paul Mira have had the good sense to apologize for hurt and offense they caused.

The Africa’s continental body was furiously adamant that it citizens would not be used as guinea pigs.

So has the World Health Organisation,  Like the AU the WHO give the thumbs down to COVID ORGANICS  which has reportedly been tested on 20 people for two weeks. Hardly decisive.

Rajoelina can draw some comfort from the favorable attention his peers have given the Malgash remedy.

Tanzania’s President John Magafuli,  who evidently believes that his chemistry qualification  entitles him to be a COVID 19 maverick, sent a plane to collect a load of the remedy  in Antananarivo.

Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Niger  have also bought consignments.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize is quoted as saying South Africa will help test and analyse COVID ORGANICS.

I fully support African solutions to African problems. But this is surely a classical case for caution. 

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Rajoelina insists his only allegiance is to the Madagascar people.

A BBC investigation finds Russia offered money to six of the  candidates in last November’s presidential election on the Indian Ocean island state of Madagascar.

One of these, Pastotor Andre Mailholr Andre Mailhol, says the recipients who fell out on the first round were obliged to support Andry Rajoelina, who was the Russian-backed candidate in the run-off.

Russian funds paid for Rajoelina’s deposit as a candidate.

The investigation did not find hard evidence he had received money from the group of Russian spin doctors, businessmen and political players who were on the island for a year before the election.

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He supports national reconciliation, socio economic development and a lasting political solution in that country laid low by instability.

President Cyril Ramaphosa wishes President Elect Andry Rajoelina well in his term as the president of Madagascar. 

He praises both Rajoelina and Marc Ravalomanana, who contested the runoff presidential election, for working together in ensuring that the interests of the people of Madagascar come first by accepting the run-off results.

The South African government notes with satisfaction a report by the SADC Election Observer Mission comprising of observers from South Africa that the election was orderly and  professionally conducted  within the requirements of the legal framework of Madagascar.

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With more than 90% of the votes counted, he trails Andry Rajoelina who ousted him a 2009 coup.

It’s looking increasingly likely the impoverished island state of Madagascar will continue living the nightmare of political instability.

Marc Ravalomanana, the twice-elected President who spent years of exile in South Africa, says the fraud and violence he’s seen renders the poll not transparent and not creditable.

His opponent Andry Rajoelina also alleges electoral irregularities.

Political instability and the resultant security threat has dragged Madagascar down to being the seventh poorest country on the planet

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Twice elected former President Marc Ravalomanana says he has evidence of massive fraud in the voting.

The turnout has been lower in Madagascar’s run-off election than it was for the first round when 45% of the 10 million registered voters stayed away.

Looking for his first election win — the last time he took the presidency was in a coup — Andry Rajoelina has concentrated on the urban vote in a campaign largely funded by foreign interests keen to get access to the island’s natural resources.

Marc Ravalomanana was hoping for a bigger turnout  which would have brought in a stronger rural vote.

Final results are not expected until next week

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The final result of the contest between twice-elected former President Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina, who unseated him in a 2009 coup, is not expected before Christmas.

SADC’s current chair, Namibian President Heine Geingob has tweeted his encouragement that both candidates in the Madagascar Presidential run-off have said they will accept the outcome.

Prime Minister of the island state Christian Ntsay, says his country which has become the seventh poorest nation on the planet largely due to political instability, doesn’t deserve  further unrest.

Ominously both candidates have laid out reasons for possibly disputing the final result. 

Marc Ravalomana says there’s been cheating with ballot papers and voter registration cards.

Andry Rajoelina alleges vote rigging in several centres.

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Andry Rajoelina and Marc Ravalomanana — who have each held the top job in the world’s seventh poorest country before — declared themselves winners in the run-off which analysts warned was likely to draw claims of fraud.

Marc Ravalomanana uses the nickname he’s picked up on the hustings and declares: Change is coming tomorrow.

Today it can be said Papa is elected. 

However, his rival Andry Rajoelina says he’s  sure he’s going to win

Both camps allege they’ve been  victims of fraud and cheating.

The EU observer mission, says the turnout yesterday was around 50 percent.

It calls for candidates and their supporters to wait patiently for the official results.

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Failure of this election could drive the world’s seventh poorest country into even more despair.

Twice-elected Madagascar President Marc Ravalomana has produced 500 ballot papers handed to him last night before the polls opened this morning.

They come from men who told him they’d been given stacks of voters registration cards and told to use them at as many polling stations as possible.

Ravalomanana fears such cheating could rob him of any change of beating Andry Rajoelina who ousted him in a 2009 coup that drove Madagascar into isolation, instability and poverty.

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They’re closing  between twice-elected former President Marc Ravalomana  and Andry Rajoelina who unseated him in a 2009 coup.

Neither Marc Ravalomanana nor Andry Rajoelina were permitted to run in the 2013 election won by Heri Rajoanarimampianini.

It was feared such a contest would drive the country back into conflict.

For this not to happen, it is vital that the result of today’s run-off is accepted by the loser.

With two bitter rivals running neck-and-neck that is by no means a given.

Rajoelina has demonstrated that he has the financial support, but Ravalomanana believes he can bring out the rural vote to get him across the line.

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Both Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina says they’s accept the outcome of the election – which is vital for pulling the island state out of its political and economic mess.

Marc Ravalomanana, who was ousted as President of Madagascar by Andry Rajoelina in a 2009 coup, promises to lift the country out of poverty if he is re-elected.

More than 17 million of Madagascar’s 25-million population live in dire poverty.

To beat Andry Rajoelina, he’ll have to bring out many of the 45 percent  of the 10-million registered voters who stayed away in the first round.

Rajoelina has been using his $20-million war chest to secure the support of the voters who gave him a narrow first round win.

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