The World Health Organization has expressed strong disapproval of the suggestion made by some French doctors, proposing that Africa should be used as a testing ground for new Coronavirus drugs. This has sparked an angry reaction from the international health agency’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who labeled the comment as “racist” and a product of “colonial mentality”.
In a live TV interview, Jean Paul Mira and Camille Locht insisted that Africa is the best place to conduct such tests, citing a previous experimental treatment for AIDS that was carried out in Africa. However, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphatically stated that “Africa cannot and will not be a testing ground for any vaccine. We will follow all the rules to test any vaccine or therapeutics all over the world… whether it is in Europe, Africa or wherever.”
The statement from the World Health Organization comes after widespread condemnation and criticism of the doctors’ proposal, reflecting the strong stance against exploitation and unethical medical practices in Africa.