Jean Paul Mira and Camille Locht, two French doctors, have sparked outrage after they were caught on television discussing “Africa as best destination to conduct test for COVID-19 vaccine”. 

In a viral video clip below shared on social media on Thursday, the two medical experts cited the use of prostitutes in Africa to carry out test vaccine for the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) as instance.

Mira, head of resuscitation department at Cochin Hospital, also pointed out that the continent should be considered because of its perceived toughness to disease outbreaks.

“If I can be provocative, shouldn’t we do this study in Africa, where there are no masks, no treatment, no resuscitation, a bit like it has been done in some studies in AIDS, where among prostitutes, we try things, because they are exposed, and they don’t protect themselves, what do you think?,” he asked.

Corroborating with him, Locht, a research director at Inserm, said similar approach could be adopted as ongoing search for COVID-19 vaccine intensifies across the globe.

“So you are right […] we’re thinking in parallel to a study in Africa precisely to make this same type of approach w/ BCG [vaccine] placebo, I think there is a call for tenders that was released or that will be released & I think we will indeed seriously think about that too,” he said.

Apparently cheesed off by their discussion, Rim-Sarah Alouane, a Ph.D student and French researcher, took to Twitter to describe the video as “horrific.”

It's 2020 in France &we still see people from Africa as subjects for experimentation.This is what normalized racism looks like.AFAIK,nobody jumped in to counter the arguments, both doctors agreed. Same, the way sex-workers are considered: like objects that can be used for tests.

— Rim-Sarah Alouane (@RimSarah) April 2, 2020

The human rights researcher also said it is unfortunate that “France still thinks Africa should be seen as subjects for experimentation in 2020”.

“It’s 2020 in France &we still see people from Africa as subjects for experimentation. This is what normalized racism looks like,” she added.

“AFAIK, nobody jumped in to counter the arguments, both doctors agreed. Same, the way sex-workers are considered: like objects that can be used for tests.”

As of the time of filing this report, Alouane’s post has been retweeted nearly 10,000 times with the video garnering nearly 2.2 million views.

Samuel Eto, Cameroonian football legend, also expressed his anger on the microblogging platform.

Here is what some Nigerians had to say:

@icuprecision

Jean-Paul Mira is The president of French Intensive Care Society, intensivist in Paris.

This man has publicly suggested that COVID-19 Test vaccinations should be conducted in Africa, just as the French did 60 years ago during the colonial times. #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/TV3SQWozjV

— S.DeGwet (@SDeGwet) April 2, 2020

Africa has to become vigilant in the aftermath of Coronavirus possibly during as well.

We MUST NOT allow people test vaccines or drugs on our people because they believe this is the dark continent and everything goes.

— ilsa aida (@IlsaAida) April 2, 2020

For what good reason do they want to test the Coronavirus Vaccine in Africa when it's not even African continent that is highly infected by this Virus? ? If it's a matter of being black, there are black people in Europe & America too... #leaveblackpeoplealone

— Leevi Immanuel® ?? (@leevi_immanuel) April 2, 2020

Corona virus has killed more people in Europe, China and America but they feel Africa is the best place to test vaccines when ready.

The planners of The New World Order surely know Africans and their leaders are gullible.#Coronavirus #COVID19Pandemic #Covid19 pic.twitter.com/rNZqy3IFN0

— Arafrika Sankara (@arafrika) April 2, 2020

African governments must pay attention to incoming threats from the West.

In times of scarcity, attacks on African bodies & our resources are justified.

These medical research French doctors are on television suggesting that Africa be where they test the coronavirus vaccine. https://t.co/kw1F8kClJX

— Doreen ?✨ (@DoreenGLM) April 2, 2020

I did say that this is why they've been waiting for Coronavirus to reach Africa & some purposefully travelled here. They want to test their treatments on us first, as usual. Italy has a 12% Covid19 death rate but no talk of starting there. Black bodies are disposable. https://t.co/NADpMSTBc1

— WASH your HANDS (@_afro_politan) April 2, 2020

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