The World Health
Organisation (WHO) says Africa will not be used as a testing ground for
COVID-19 vaccine.
Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said this during a media briefing on Monday.
The director-general
was reacting to statements credited to Jean Paul Mira and Camille Locht, two
French doctors, who were seen on television discussing “Africa as best
destination to conduct test for COVID-19 vaccine”.
The two doctors
cited the use of prostitutes in Africa to carry out vaccine test for the
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) as an example.
Mira, head of the
resuscitation department at Cochin Hospital, also said the continent should be
considered because of its perceived toughness to disease outbreaks.
But Ghebreyesus, an
Ethiopian, described the statement as “racist” and a hangover of “colonial
mentality”.
He condemned the
statement, saying it is a “disgrace” on scholars in the 21st century.
The WHO
director-general said the continent will not be used for such a experiment
except in line with the rules governing test of vaccine all over the world.
“Africa can’t and
won’t be a testing ground for any vaccine. We will follow all the rules to test
any vaccine or therapeutics all over the world using exactly the same rule,
whether it is in Europe, Africa or wherever, we will use the same protocol,” he
said.
“It was a disgrace,
appalling, to hear during the 21st Century, to hear from scientists, that kind
of remark. We condemn this in the strongest terms possible, and we assure you
that this will not happen.”
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday"When we needed solidarity these kind of racist remarks will not help. It goes against the solidarity. Africa will not be a testing ground for any vaccine." - @DrTedros in response to two French doctors suggesting a potential vaccine be trialed in Africa. pic.twitter.com/ECS9F1baPq— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) April 6, 2020
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