WHO condemns "racist comments" by researchers on vaccine tests in Africa

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The chief of the WHO condemned on Monday the "racist remarks" of researchers who recently mentioned Africa as "a testing ground" to test a potential vaccine against Covid-19, denouncing "the heritage of a mentality colonial ”.

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" These kinds of racist comments do nothing to advance. They go against the spirit of solidarity. Africa cannot and will not be a testing ground for any vaccine, "said World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, former Ethiopian diplomatic chief, during a press conference virtual from Geneva. " The legacy of the colonial mentality must end, " he added, in response to a question from a Nigerian journalist.

Mr. Tedros did not name the scientists involved, but a heated controversy erupted in France and in Africa, in particular after an exchange between a researcher from the French Institute for Medical Research (Inserm) and a head of service. a Paris hospital on April 1 on the LCI channel. In this sequence, Camille Locht, research director at Inserm in Lille (northern France), was asked about research carried out around the BCG vaccine against Covid-19. Invited on stage, Jean-Paul Mira, head of the intensive care and intensive care unit at Cochin hospital, asked him: " If I can be provocative, shouldn't this study be done in Africa, where there are no masks, no treatment, no resuscitation, a bit like it is done elsewhere on some studies with AIDS, or in prostitutes: we try things because we know they are highly exposed. What do you think ? "

The researcher responds, " You are right, by the way. We are thinking in parallel to a study in Africa with the same type of approach, that does not prevent that we can think in parallel to a study in Europe and Australia. "

These remarks, for which the two accused have since apologized , have been condemned by associations and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that they " did not reflect the position of the French authorities ".

“ It is shameful and horrifying to hear scientists say such things in the 21st century. We condemn them in the strongest terms , ”concluded Mr. Tedros.

To be honest, I was dismayed when I heard this. While at the same time I was calling for solidarity between countries. This kind of racist remarks does not help. Africa cannot and will not be a testing laboratory for any vaccine. We will follow the same rules and protocol for all vaccine and therapy trials around the world. This kind of resurgence of colonial mentality must stop. It's really a shame to hear that in the 21st century, and more from scientists. All humans will be treated as such in the fight against coronavirus.

(AFP)

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