WHO Says Africa Will Not Be Testing Ground for Coronavirus Vaccine

By Staff, Agencies

The head of the World Health Organization [WHO] condemned as "racist" the comments by two French doctors who suggested a vaccine for the coronavirus could be tested in Africa.

"Africa can't and won't be a testing ground for any vaccine," said Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The doctors' remarks during a TV debate sparked outrage, and they were accused of treating Africans like "human guinea pigs".

One of them later issued an apology.

When asked about the doctors' suggestion during the WHO's coronavirus briefing, Dr. Tedros became visibly angry, calling it a hangover from the "colonial mentality".

"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," he said.

As the number of confirmed cases in Africa continues to rise, some governments are imposing stricter measures to try to slow the spread of the virus.

During a debate on French TV channel LCI, Camille Locht, head of research at Inserm health research group, was talking about a vaccine trial in Europe and Australia.

Jean-Paul Mira, head of intensive care at Cochin hospital in Paris, then said: "If I can be provocative, shouldn't we be doing this study in Africa, where there are no masks, no treatments, and no resuscitation?