Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Folks, you must
already have heard the news report about the trial of a vaccine for the deadly
Ebola that is either already being done in Ghana or is about to be done. When I
first heard about this experiment, I cringed seriously for many reasons:
1. When Ebola struck
Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea (the three worst affected in the West African
sub-region), Ghanaians panicked and prayed hard that the disease shouldn't
spread to the country. Indeed, many measures were taken, especially in
connection with citizens of the affected countries travelling to Ghana or in
terms of Liberians living in the Buduburam camp.
2. The Ghanaian
government rallied all agencies under the Ministry of Health to prepare for any
case occurring in Ghana, especially after some alleged "victims" had
been taken through diagnosis and proved negative. The panic mode persisted for
long.
3. President Mahama
personally participated in relief efforts and visited Sierra Leone (refusing to
shake hands with that country's President at the time---fear of contracting
Ebola?).
4. At the
government's initiative, Ghana became the command and control centre for the
Ebola relief efforts.
5. Ghanaian health
officials physically participated in efforts to solve the Ebola problem in the
affected countries. None contracted Ebola.
At the end of the
day, no Ghanaian contracted Ebola; no Ghanaian is on record as having died from
Ebola. As the United Nations declared the affected countries as being free of
Ebola, the world heaved a huge sigh of relief. The disease came from
no-one-knows-where and left in its trail massive devastation. The affected
countries are still counting the cost, even as the rest of the world prays that
Ebola shouldn't recur.
Now, here is the main
issue. At the time that Ebola was destroying lives in those countries, Ghana's
main health problem was cholera, which killed many in the Greater-Accra Region
and some parts of the country. The government did its best but the problem
persisted. The threat of recurrence is high now, especially following the
massive flooding that is compounding environmental problems all over the
country.
All of a sudden, we
are confronted with an experiment on Ebola in Ghana, which makes me wonder
whether Ghanaians and their leaders are really thinking right. The news report
is that "clandestine attempts are being made by health authorities in the
country to experiment the vaccines at Hohoe in the Volta region of Ghana".
StarrFMonline.com
sources revealed that the Hohoe midwifery training school has been selected for
the project. As part of an enticement package, students who will allow
themselves to be used as ‘guinea pigs’ for the exercise , according to the
highly placed source, will be given GHc 200 and a cell phone as reward.
Medical sources have
told StarrFMonline.com that the exercise could be catastrophic on its host if
not handled well.
The Ghana Academy of
Arts and Sciences, Coalition for Ghana’s Independence Now (CGIN) and the Volta
regional branch of the ruling NDC have all spoken against the exercise and
called on government to step in.
And the Food and
Drugs Authority (FDA) has refuted claims that the impending Ebola vaccine trial
in Ghana will harm persons who will be used as subjects for the exercise.
(See it all here:
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=361484).
MY COMMENTS
Only one overarching
question: Why should the vaccines on Ebola be experimented on people in Ghana
instead of countries that Ebola attacked?
Clearly, using
Ghanaians as guinea pigs for this Ebola vaccine experiment is insulting and
misguided. It is unethical, immoral, and despicable, especially if we consider
what is being used as an inducement for participants.
If no Ghanaian
suffered from Ebola and if the government's assurance that the country is not
prone to an Ebola attack should be believed, what is the justification for
conducting such an experiment on Ghanaians in Ghana?
Folks, do you see how
stupid our people and their leaders can be? I am being blunt here and won't
apologize for using "harsh language". The truth is that someone is
positioned to exploit the situation, using Ghanaians as specimens. Why should
it be so?
In the heat of the
Ebola attack, we heard rumours about the cause and saw why citizens of the
United States, Britain, and Spain attacked by Ebola were flown home and taken
care of while Africans died. We heard all kinds of theories and allegations
that Ebola was man-made---an experiment by the "whiteman" gone wrong.
If it were so, can anybody in his/her right frame of mind agree that Ghanaians
be used as guinea pigs for experimenting an Ebola vaccine, even when no Ebola
threat is imminent or evident in Ghana?
Why not send the
Ebola vaccines for experimentation in countries ravaged by Ebola and still
prone to its resurgence, not where Ebola is not felt? Experimental or not, this
exercise is misplaced and must not be allowed to take place in Ghana.
And the government is
looking on unconcerned or tacitly supporting it? Aoooooooooo, my people!!! What
is happening?
It is not for lack of
knowledge that you will perish; it is for lack of commonsense, propriety,
decency, and responsible behaviour on the part of those managing affairs and
blindly leading you into the ditch. Why are Ghanaians and their leaders so easy
to outwit---to initiative self-created problems only to turn round to blame
others for the unbearable consequences? It is really sickening.
I shall return…
·
E-mail: mjbokor@yahoo.com
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