Ginger, turmeric won’t cure coronavirus or other diseases

A Facebook post claims a mixture of natural ingredients can be used as “Natural Antibiotics” for “all kinds of sickness”, including Covid-19.

It was first posted in Fiji on 14 June 2020 and has since been doing the rounds in Nigeria. The list of ingredients includes turmeric, ginger and galangal roots and garlic.

The post claims this concoction will cure a long list of ailments, including colds, gout, asthma, chronic diseases such as stroke, and the “corona virus”.

Could this be true?

‘Not scientifically proven’
Africa Check has debunked a number of similar claims that various concoctions, all scientifically unproven, can cure a variety of diseases, including Covid-19.

While there may be some health benefits to eating turmeric, ginger and garlic, we found no established scientific evidence that these ingredients, consumed alone or mixed, can prevent or cure Covid-19.

“The mixture of turmeric, ginger, galangal, garlic, lemon, cayenne pepper and honey hasn’t been scientifically established to work on the illnesses listed in the claim,” said Marycelin Baba, a professor of medical virology and microbiology at the University of Maiduguri in northeastern Nigeria.

Baba said she thought the ingredients might be “good in boosting the immune system” but added that “these natural ingredients don’t have a direct effect on any ailment”.

Still no cure for coronavirus
The World Health Organization says there is still no cure for Covid-19 although there “are ongoing clinical trials of both western and traditional medicine”.

“While some western, traditional or home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate symptoms of mild Covid-19, there are no medicines that have been shown to prevent or cure the disease.” the global health body noted on its website on 17 April.

This content is produced under a collaboration between The Guardian Newspaper and Africa Check to fight health misinformation