A viral Facebook post shared more than 800 times claims Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina called on all African nations to quit the World Health Organization (WHO).

“My country Madagascar leaves all the organizations tonight and I call on other African Nations to do same,” he allegedly said.

Verdict: False

There is no evidence Rajoelina called for Madagascar or other countries to leave the WHO. The Embassy of Madagascar told the Daily Caller News Foundation the country remains a member state.

Fact Check:

The viral post appears to reference the WHO’s pushback on Rajoelina’s claims regarding Covid Organics, the herbal tonic Rajoelina launched in April. In a May 7 press briefing, WHO Africa Director Dr. Matshidiso Moeti said, “We would caution and advise countries against adoption of a product that has not been taken through tests to see its efficacy,” according to France 24. (RELATED: Viral Post Claims Madagascar Found A ‘Coronavirus Medicine’ That Can ‘Wipe Out The Virus’ In 6 Days)

Rajoelina has touted the tonic as a preventative and cure for COVID-19, despite no scientific evidence to show its efficacy, according to The Associated Press. Following the WHO’s caution against the use of Covid Organics, Rajoelina told France 24, “What if this remedy had been discovered by a European country, instead of Madagascar? Would people doubt it so much? I don’t think so.”

There is, however, no evidence that Rajoelina has attempted to withdraw Madagascar from the WHO, nor that he encouraged other African countries to do so. The DCNF found no credible news reporting about such a call to action from Rajoelina. Searching his Twitter account and his office’s website also didn’t turn up any announcement to that effect. The island nation remains listed as one of the 194 member states on the WHO’s website.

“The presidency of Madagascar formally denies all these allegations,” Lova Ranoramoro, a spokeswoman for the president, told AFP Fact Check. “Since the launch of the Covid-Organics remedy, many words have been falsely attributed to President Andry Rajoelina. We firmly condemn these false quotes.”

A spokesperson for the Embassy of Madagascar in the United States confirmed to the DCNF in an email that Madagascar “is a full member of the World Health Organization and remains so.”

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