Madagascar's education minister has been sacked after announcing a plan to buy sweets for students to take the edge off the “bitter taste” of a herbal tea the president says is a coronavirus remedy.

Minister Rijasoa Andriamanana said last week she was ordering $2.2 million worth of sweets to go with the Covid-Organics concoction, which some experts have warned is useless against Covid-19.

That such expense was going to sweets in one of the world's poorest countries sparked outrage, and the order was cancelled. The minister defended the plan, but it was not considered by the cabinet, which relieved her of her duties in a dry statement.