‘Racist’ professors slammed after being accused of treating Africans like guinea pigs

Football icons Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto'o lead criticisms of French academics who said testing for coronavirus vaccine should be done in Africa

ANGER: Samuel Eto'o and Didier Drogba

FOOTBALL LEGENDS Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba have criticised two professors who suggested claimed that testing for a vaccine against coronavirus should be carried out in Africa.

The comments were made on French television channel LCI.

Professor Jean-Paul Mira, head of the intensive care unit at the Cochin Hospital in Paris, and Professor Camille Locht, research director at Inserm were discussing the potential BCG vaccine, which is usually used against tuberculosis, on French television. 

BCG is one of a number of vaccines being considered for potential use against coronavirus. 

‘AFRICA ISN’T A TESTING LAB’: Didier Drogba expressed his feelings about Mira and Locht’s television discussion on Twitter

A recent study – which has not yet been peer-reviewed – suggested that countries where BCG is administered reported fewer deaths related to COVID-19.

Mira said: “If I can be provocative, shouldn’t we do this study in Africa where there are no masks, no treatment, no resuscitation? The same as for some AIDS studies where prostitutes try things because we know they’re unprotected.”

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.

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.”

The comments received an angry response on social media.

‘Guinea pigs’

Responding to the televised discussion former Chelsea and Ivory Coast forward Drogba accused the doctors of treating people like guinea pigs and labelled the remarks as ‘racist’. 

Writing on Twitter he said: “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.

“Help us save Africa with the current ongoing COVID-19 and flatten the curve.”

He added: “Stop the spread of this virus which is destabilising the whole world, instead of considering us as guinea pigs. It is absurd! African leaders have a responsibility to protect people from these heinous plots.”

‘Africa isn’t yours to play with’

Former Barcelona and Cameroon striker Eto’o also expressed anger writing on Instagram: “You are just SH*T. Africa isn’t yours to play with.”

Another former Chelsea striker, Demba Ba, who played for Senegal, wrote on Twitter: “Welcome to the West, where white people believe themselves to be so superior that racism and stupidity become commonplace. TIME TO RISE.’ 

However Inserm said in a statement that the video was “the subject of erroneous interpretations”.

“Clinical trials to test the efficacy of the BCG vaccine against Covid-19 are… about to be launched in European countries and in Australia,” it said.

“If there is indeed a reflection around a deployment in Africa, it would be done in parallel with these. Africa must not be forgotten or excluded from research because the pandemic is global.”

Mira apologised for his comments.

In a statement released by his employer he said:  “I want to present all my apologies to those who were hurt, shocked and felt insulted by the remarks that I clumsily expressed on LCI this week.”

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