The WHO director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has condemned the comments by two French scientists suggesting the vaccine for coronavirus (COVID-19) should be first examined in-vivo in African patients of the virus.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) boss described such comments as racist and a hangover from the “colonial mentality” according to African News report.
Tedro, while disputing the argument also siad ““we will follow all the rules to test any vaccine or therapeutics all over the world suing exactly the same rule … whether it is in Europe, Africa or wherever.”
“To be honest I was so appaled and it was a time when I said we needed solidarity. These kind of racist remarks will not help. It goes against the solidarity…
“The hangover from colonial mentality has to stop. WHO will not allow this to happen.
“It was a disgrace actually, appalling to hear during the 21st century from scientists, that kind of remark. We condemn this in the strongest terms possible.
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“But we assure you that this will not happen in Africa and will not happen elsewhere in any country, proper protocols will be followed and human beings will be treated as human beings because we are all human beings.,” he added.
Vanguard earlier reported that in a broadcast the LCI channel, Camille Locht, head of research at the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) in Lille, was questioned about a shield for coronavirus using the well-known BCG vaccine for tuberculosis.
Professors Jean-Paul Mira of Cochin Hospital in Paris and Camille Locht were debating possible COVID-19 cures on French television channel La Chaine Info last Thursday, and Mira asked: “If I may be provocative, should this study not be done in Africa?”
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.”
Their comments drew a slew of criticisms on social media. A number of African sportsmen weighed in with that of Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o hogging major news headlines.
It is totally inconceivable we keep on cautioning this.
Africa isn’t a testing lab.
I would like to vividly denounce those demeaning, false and most of all deeply racists words.
Helps us save Africa with the current ongoing Covid 19 and flatten the curve. pic.twitter.com/41GIpXaIYv
— Didier Drogba (@didierdrogba) April 2, 2020
Mira had to close down public access to his Twitter account after receiving what he said were threats and insults.
He told the Huffington Post that he was deeply upset by the accusations made against him, and apologised if his comments had not been “clear.”
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