French doctor Jean-Paul Mera apologized Friday for proposing experiments on a possible vaccine for Covid-19 in Africa after his comments sparked widespread criticism on social media.
Doctor Jean Paul, head of the intensive care unit at Cochin Hospital in Paris, presented the suggestion on Wednesday during an interview on French LCI television with the director of research at the French National Health Institute.
Research director Camille Lochte was in discussion about the BCG tuberculosis vaccine that is being tried in many European and Australian countries for the treatment of Covid-19 caused by the emerging coronavirus.
"If I could be provocative, shouldn't we conduct this study in Africa where there are no masks, treatment or intensive care in some way with the way some studies on AIDS or with prostitutes have been conducted?" Asked Mira.
"We are testing the vaccine because we know they are extremely vulnerable and do not protect themselves," he said.
Camille replied in favor of Lochte, saying, "You are right. By the way, we are in the process of thinking in parallel about conducting a study in Africa ... This does not prevent us from also thinking about conducting the study in Europe and Australia. ”
The comments sparked outrage on social media, and some considered what he said denotes that the West still views Africans as less valuable than others.
Didier Drogba, a retired football star from Ivory Coast, wrote on Twitter: "Africa is not a testing lab!" "It is totally disgusting. I would like to denounce those insulting and wrong words. Above all, it exudes racism."
A group of lawyers from Morocco said that they would sue Mira for ethnic defamation.
"I want to extend my full apology to those who have been affected, shocked and humiliated by the rude statements about the vaccine this week," he was quoted as saying by the Paris Hospital Network, which runs the hospital where Mira works.
Plucht was not immediately available for comment.
Africa has so far recorded more than 6,200 new cases of coronavirus, and more than 200 deaths have occurred so far, and the continent remains the least affected by the epidemic.