HARARE – Controversial preacher Walter Magaya on Thursday retracted his claim that he had found a cure for HIV as he agreed to bankroll clinical trials of a herb he claims can remove all traces of the virus within 14 days.
Magaya spoke at a joint news conference with Health Minister Obadiah Moyo, which came just hours after police launched raids on his properties looking for drugs which they believe were ready to be sold before necessary regulatory approvals.
The Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries leader, it is believed at the threat of arrest, also agreed not to sell or distribute the purported medicine.
“We have engaged the ministry. I carry an apology to them and the public. Having carried the research outside the country (in India), I went on to announce the results unprocedurally. I apologise once again,” Magaya said at the news conference also attended by Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro.
“I took heed of what government and relevant boards have asked me to do, that is to retract my earlier claim, which I am now doing. Together, we are going to work towards running intensive clinical trials for Aguma.”
Aguma is the herb which Magaya said he was shown by God two years ago. He claimed to have scientific proof that Aguma, which he says is not found on any botanic records, can attack and destroy HIV as well as cancer.
“Magaya rushed without realising the impact of his message… he didn’t take into account the regulation of medicines in the country. He now appreciates that there are regulations,” Moyo said.
“Now following the regulations, he is back in the fold. It is not our duty to thwart anyone’s ideas or discoveries. We have been using herbal concoctions from other countries.
“The process (of clinical trials) will start with him giving us his evaluation papers of Aguma from India. Right now, there is no medicine from Magaya registered for use in Zimbabwe or elsewhere. We are grateful that he has come to us.
“I want to reiterate that please carry on with your medicines, Magaya’s medicine has not yet been approved. Zimbabwe appreciate new discoveries but we want them to go through scientifically proven processes and these processes are what we are following now. He has assured us that he will not dispense that medication.”
A website for Aretha Medical which had started selling the medicine for as much as $1,000 for a 14-day course went into maintenance mode on Tuesday.
There is no known cure for HIV/AIDS which has killed millions of people, a large majority of them in Africa. The disease was discovered in the United States in 1981.
