According to them, Africa has fewer face masks and other essential health supplies and required treatment for coronavirus patients, hence the need to use Africans for the medical trials.
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“Don’t take Africans as Guinea pigs!” - Drogba slams French doctors who want to test COVID-19 drugs in Africa
As if coronavirus patients are so scarce in other continents and can only be found in Africa, some two French doctors have triggered outrage after suggesting that vaccines being sought for the pandemic be tested in Africa.
“Don’t take Africans as human Guinea pigs!” - Didier Drogba fumes as French doctors want to test COVID-19 drugs in African
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Speaking on a local TV channel LCI, one of the doctors named as Dr Jean-Paul Mira said: “If I can be provocative, shouldn’t we do this study in Africa, where there are no masks, no treatment, no resuscitation, a bit like it has been done in some studies in AIDS, where among prostitutes, we try things, because they are exposed, and they don’t protect themselves, what do you think?”
The suggestion sounded laudable to the other doctor also named as Dr Camille Locht who said: “So you are right[…]we’re thinking in parallel to a study in Africa precisely to make this same type of approach w/ BCG [vaccine]placebo.
“I think there is a call for tenders that was released or that will be released & I think we will indeed seriously think about that too.”
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So far there is no cure for the deadly virus but scientists around the world are still working against time on a potential vaccine, while the virus continues to kill more and more people in the western countries and France itself.
The doctors’ suggestion has invoked anger among some popular figures such as former football star Didier Drogba.
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“Do not take African people as human guinea pigs! It’s absolutely disgusting.
“African leaders have a responsibility to protect their populations from those horrendous conspiracies.”
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"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.
"Helps us save Africa with the current ongoing Covid 19 and flatten the curve. pic.twitter.com/41GIpXaIYv
— Didier Drogba (@didierdrogba) April 2, 2020
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This is horrific. Two French doctors on live television are discussing how a potential new treatment against #covid19 should be first tested in Africa, “where are no masks, no treatment, no reanimation”, “the same way experimental treatment for AIDS was done on prostitutes”. https://t.co/ojYb8GnKkI
— Rim-Sarah Alouane (@RimSarah) April 2, 2020
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