The World Health Organisation (WHO) has described as “racist” suggestions by two French science professors Jean-Paul Mira and Camille Locht, that Africa is the best destination to conduct a test for COVID-19 vaccine.
It was gathered that Mira of Cochin Hospital in Paris and Locht of Inserm, France’s national medical research centre, appeared on French television LCI on April 2 to debate potentials for COVID-19 cures.
Mira wondered if he “may be provocative, should this study not be done in Africa?”
He said the continent should be considered because of its perceived toughness to disease outbreaks.
Locht then replied: “You are right. We are currently thinking similarly about a study in Africa regarding the BCG vaccine. There is a proposal that has gone out — or will. We will seriously consider it.”
The two doctors reportedly cited the use of prostitutes in Africa to carry out vaccine test for the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) as an example.
Their comments generated scathing criticisms on the social media with the likes of renowned African footballers like Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o describing it as “unbelievably shocking and provocative.”
The two doctors later apologised saying they had only suggested that Africa should be added to an ongoing trial of a vaccine in Europe and Australia.
However, reacting to scientists’ comments at a press briefing yesterday, the director general of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus described such suggestions as “racist” and hangover from the “colonial mentality.”
He also described the statements as a “disgrace” to scholars in the 21st century.
“On the vaccines’ issue, there was I think a comment last week from a couple of scientists who said that the testing ground for these new vaccines will be Africa.
“To be honest, I was so appalled because it was at a time when I said we need a kind of solidarity – this kind of racist comment will not help. It goes against this solidarity.
“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.
“Africa cannot and will not 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,” he said.
Ghebreyesus, said “proper protocols will be followed and human beings will be treated as human beings because we are all human beings” in the course of testing any potential vaccine against the coronavirus pandemic.
