The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated its commitment to collaborate with bodies like The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) to advance the war against COVID-19(coronavirus).
The decision was revealed after a Cameroonian medical doctor Kameni Pierre claimed to have been healed of COVID-19 by Pastor TB Joshua via his church channel Emmanuel TV.
In a video released, Dr Pierre, a gynecologist, and obstetrician said he was suffering from COVID-19 and was in isolation in a hospital ward when he called in via video to receive prayer during an interactive program on Emmanuel TV.
He displayed his COVID-19 positive medical report and while receiving prayer from Joshua, he ‘vomited out’ the disease.
Days later, he held up a medical report confirming that he was diagnosed negative to COVID-19.
However, WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Executive Director of Health Emergencies, Dr Michael Ryan and other WHO officials were questioned about the miracle by a Cameroonian journalist Simon Ateba during an interactive media session on Wednesday, July 1.
“On Monday, a very popular pastor in Nigeria, T.B Joshua, released a video of a medical doctor in Cameroon who was said to have been cured of the virus through prayer,” Ateba said before the panelists for their reaction.
Responding, Dr Ryan affirmed the readiness of WHO to work with faith-based organizations like SCOAN to eradicate COVID-19.
“Certainly, spiritual leadership is very important in a time like this,” Ryan said praising the role of faith-based organizations in providing accurate information to communities.
Reacting, WHO DG, Dr. Ghebreyesus, added that faith and science should “go together”.
He said: “We know many religious leaders who would really advise their followers to follow their faith and at the same time use science. The two do not contradict; they go together… We will call on all religious leaders to be in this fight and save lives.”