Controversial WHO chief slams French doctors' 'racist' proposal to use Africa as COVID-19 cure test lab
The World Health Organization (WHO) has found itself in a tricky situation ever since the coronavirus pandemic broke out from Wuhan, China. The world body has been left to balance China’s handling of the situation and its critics who have accused Beijing of not doing enough to prevent the global transmission of the disease that has hit over 1.3 million people so far and killed nearly 75,000.
Amid the diplomatic challenges that it is facing, the WHO has reacted against the idea of using Africa as the testing ground for the coronavirus vaccine. In a new controversy, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus slammed the suggestion of using the continent, one of the least affected by the virus, as the testing ground for the cure and called it something resembling a “colonial mentality”. The reaction came after two French doctors namely Jean Paul-Mira and Camille Locht's floated the proposal last week of using Africa as the laboratory for running trials for coronavirus vaccine.
On Monday, Ghebreyesus said in a virtual news conference: “Africa cannot and will not be a testing ground for any vaccine.” Global race is on to find the cure for the pandemic the world has not seen in several years.
The French doctors' remarks face backlash
Jean-Paul Mira, head of intensive care at Cochin hospital in Paris, said: "It may be provocative. Should we not do this study in Africa where there are no masks, no treatment or intensive care, a little bit like it's been done for certain AIDS studies, where among prostitutes, we try things because we know that they are highly exposed and don't protect themselves."
Camille Locht, head of research at the Inserm health research group seconded the thought and said a study in Africa was already under consideration. He said: “We are in the process of thinking about a study in parallel in Africa.”
The comments were made on French television channel LCI during a discussion on Wednesday, April 1, over COVID-19 trials set to start in Europe and Australia to see if the BCG tuberculosis vaccine could be used to treat the virus.
The French scientists’ remarks caused an outrage on social media with former Ivory Coast footballer Didier Drogba tweeting: “Do not take African people as human guinnea pigs! It’s absolutely disgusting.”
Ghebreyesus, who was born in Asmara, capital of present-day Eritrea has served as the health and foreign minister of Ethiopia called it a “disgrace” and “appalling”.
“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,” the 55-year-old said.
The scientists’ words met a backlash even in France. Olivier Faure of the country’s Socialist Party said the comments were not provocation but racist. He said Africa is not a laboratory of Europe and the people there are not rats.
It may be mentioned here that the French had brutally ruled a number of African nations in the years of colonialism.
French anti-racism group SOS Racisme called on CSA (Conseil Supérieur de L’Audiovisuel) -- the country’s media regulator -- to formally condemn the duo’s remarks.
The WHO chief's strong reaction to the episode came despite Mira apologizing for his remarks on Friday, April 3. He was quoted as saying by the Paris network of hospitals in a statement: "I want to present all my apologies to those who were hurt, shocked and felt insulted by the remarks I clumsily expressed Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, the WHO director-general also discussed the health body’s joining hands with Lady Gaga and other stars for a coronavirus awareness concert on April 18.