Statements made by two French doctors Camille Locht, head of research at the Inserm Health Research Group and Jean-Paul Mira, head of Intensive Care at Cochin hospital in Paris during a debate on TV channel LCI suggesting conducting of coronavirus trials in Africa, to ascertain if a tuberculosis vaccine would be effective against the disease have sparked an uproar with some people terming the remarks racist.
“If I can be provocative, shouldn't we be doing this study in Africa, where there are no masks, no treatments, no resuscitation?” Jean-Paul Mira asked. “A bit like as it is done elsewhere for some studies on Aids. In prostitutes, we try things because we know that they are highly exposed and that they do not protect themselves,” he added.
Retired Ivorian professional footballer Didier Drogba who used to play for Chelsea was among the first personalities to castigate the sentiments on his twitter handle.
“Do not take African people as human guinea pigs! It’s absolutely disgusting. 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. ” Drogba said.
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