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French Doctor, Jean-Paul Mira apologises for suggesting Vaccine be tested in africa

Written by MAX FM on April 6, 2020

French doctor, Jean-Paul Mira, who suggested in a Tv interview on Wednesday, April 1 that Africa should be used as a testing ground for COVID-19 treatment has apologised for his remarks

Mira had said the BCG vaccine which is under trial for coronavirus treatment in various countries should be experimented in Africa since, according to him, there were no masks, treatment or intensive care in the continent.

He was, however, blasted for the racially-laced words.

According to US News, the medic, through his employer, Paris network of hospitals, sought forgiveness from those who were hurt, shocked and felt insulted by his remarks that he clumsily expressed against the African continent.

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,”

Furthermore, amongst several africans and leaders who were hurt by Mira’s statement is Bungoma senator Moses Wetangula.

In a strongly-worded statement, the FORD Kenya party leader called on African leaders to reject any attempt to use African people as “Guinea pigs”.

He tweeted,

“The epicentre of COVID-19(Coronavirus ) is China, Italy, Spain, France, US. Clinical trials on its possible cure must start there and not in any African country. African leaders must resist any attempt to use our people as Guinea pigs. Resist!!”

People could not understand why Africa, which has lower COVID-19 cases and deaths than European countries was thought to be the best place to ‘experiment’.

Africa as a whole has so far confirmed 212 deaths with most countries recording less than 1000 infection cases apart from South Africa whose case has hit 1,505. Europe, on the other hand, is the virus’ epicentre with Italy leading with more than 14,000 deaths and second-highest number of infections.