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DPA
Johannesburg
The French embassy in South Africa on Saturday expressed dismay at comments made by French doctors during a television interview in which they discussed testing a coronavirus vaccine in Africa.
“We are deeply shocked by these comments, that of course, do not reflect the position of the French authorities,” the embassy said in a statement.
During the programme, which aired on the French channel LCI on Wednesday, Camille Locht, head of research at the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM)and Jean-Paul Mira, head of intensive care at Cochin Hospital in Paris, discussed whether Africa could be a good test location.
At one point, they suggested Africa was a possible location, as people did not have masks, treatments or resuscitation.
The discussion caused an uproar with many, including Ivory Coast and international footballer Didier Drogba, taking to social media to express disgust at the “racist” views and that “Africa isn’t a testing lab.”
Mira has since apologized while INSERM said the comments had been misunderstood.
Johannesburg
The French embassy in South Africa on Saturday expressed dismay at comments made by French doctors during a television interview in which they discussed testing a coronavirus vaccine in Africa.
“We are deeply shocked by these comments, that of course, do not reflect the position of the French authorities,” the embassy said in a statement.
During the programme, which aired on the French channel LCI on Wednesday, Camille Locht, head of research at the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM)and Jean-Paul Mira, head of intensive care at Cochin Hospital in Paris, discussed whether Africa could be a good test location.
At one point, they suggested Africa was a possible location, as people did not have masks, treatments or resuscitation.
The discussion caused an uproar with many, including Ivory Coast and international footballer Didier Drogba, taking to social media to express disgust at the “racist” views and that “Africa isn’t a testing lab.”
Mira has since apologized while INSERM said the comments had been misunderstood.
