Fani-Kayode and the doctors

Former Aviation Minister and critic, Femi Fani-Kayode has reacted to comments by two French doctors that COVID-19 trial vaccine be first tested on Africans.

The two French doctors were accused of racism after a TV debate in which one suggested trials in Africa to see if a tuberculosis vaccine would prove effective against coronavirus.

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

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

“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.”

Dr Mira had earlier questioned whether the study would work as planned on healthcare workers in Europe and Australia because they had access to personal protective equipment to prevent them catching the virus.

Angry Fani-Kayode said such suggestion by the doctors was insulting, as Africans were not guinea pigs.

He said their intention was to use that vaccine kill millions of people and that Africa is their first port of call.

“The suggestion by two French doctors that the Covid 19 vaccine should first be tested on Africans is insulting. Are Africans now guinea pigs?

“Their intention is to use that vaccine to kill millions of people and Africa is their first port of call. They are testing the waters,” he tweeted.