Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has waded into the conversation on “racist and contemptuous” comments made by two doctors on French television, suggesting that studies on vaccines to combat coronavirus should be tested in Africa.
The comments made by the doctors were met with an immediate rebuttal and outrage by several people, particularly, African players who did not mince words by showing their disgust at the proclamation.
But taking to his Facebook wall on Saturday, Manasseh threw a seemingly subliminal shade directed at leadership and government that “When you invest in science and begin to develop your own vaccines and dictate the pace, those “racists” will stop disrespecting you and think that your only contribution is to be used as guinea pigs…
“Look at Israel,” he concluded.
The post which generated a debate and outpoured with several comments got some Ghanaians criticising him while others agreed and admitted that the journalist’s assertion was apt.
An aggrieved commentator averred that the country does not have the capacity and was surprised Manasseh would state that to which the latter responded: “…we have the capacity. We have some of the finest brains in Africa. We have them in Ghana. The problem is that leadership won't commit to science the same way they'll commit to the building of a national cathedral or to funding corruption. We have both the human and material resources. What we lack is the leadership that will set our priorities right, and the citizens who will crave for and back the right priorities.”
A conversation between head of the intensive care unit at the Cochin Hospital in Paris, Prof Jean-Paul Mira and a research director at Inserm, Prof Camille Locht regarding the potential testing of the BCG vaccine, generally used against tuberculosis, as a preventative measure against COVID-19 sparked outrage when there were suggestions that it should be tested in Africa.
"If I can be provocative, shouldn't we do this study in Africa where there are no masks, no treatment, no resuscitation?" Prof Jean-Paul Mira asked.
“The same as for some AIDS studies where prostitutes try things because we know they’re unprotected”.
To which Prof. Camille Locht replied: "You are right. We are currently thinking in parallel about a study in Africa to make this same type of approach with the BCG.
“There is a tender process that has gone out or is going to go out. We will seriously think about that.
“That doesn’t prevent us from thinking in parallel about a study in Europe and Australia.”
Football greats Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba reacted strongly on social media after their colleague Demba Ba shared it on twitter.
“Sons of bitches,” Eto’o charged in a tweet before continuing on his Instagram page with: “You are just SH*T. Africa isn’t yours to play with.”
“It is inconceivable that we continue to accept this,” Drogba wrote on Twitter. “Africa is not a laboratory.
“I strongly denounce these serious, racist and contemptuous remarks!
“Help us save lives in Africa and stop the spread of this virus which is destabilising the whole world, instead of considering us as guinea pigs. It is absurd!” he added.
Several attempts are being made to generate the serum to cure the fast-spreading Coronavirus which has already affected 205 people in Ghana and over 1 million people worldwide.
The mortality rate currently stands at 20 percent.
