NDC says no to “needless” Ebola vaccines trial in V/R

The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) outfit in the Volta region is warning it will resist any attempt by the government to use Voltarians as “guinea pigs in a needless” Ebola vaccines trial.

“We are appealing to all Voltarians to remain calm and should not risk their lives for GHc 200 and mobile phone,” a statement signed by the NDC regional chairman Kwadwo Gyapong, secretary Simon Amegashie-Viglo and regional organiser Henry Kojo Ametefee said.

Two weeks ago, Starrfmonline.com broke the news that the University of Health and Allied Sciences is spearheading an Ebola vaccines trial which is expected to kick off at Hohoe in the Volta region soon.

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has confirmed to Starrfmonline.com it is currently testing the vaccine before it can give the green light for the trial to take off. Officials have already approached students of the Hohoe Midwifery Training School to volunteer for the trial.

Documents cited by Starrfmonline.com indicate that the students have been promised Gh¢200 each and mobile phones. They will also receive other compensations such as transport fares among others depending on how the trial goes.

The Volta regional secretariat said it is risky and the intended trial must stop because it will not allow the masses in the stronghold of the ruling administration to “volunteer their lives for this unnecessary experiment.”

Below is the full statement:

PRESS RELEASE ON EBOLA VACCINE TRIALS IN THE VOLTA REGION

1. We speak for and on behalf of the NDC in the Volta Region. Our attention has been drawn to a pending Ebola vaccine experiments at an Ebola Research Centre in Hohoe in the Volta Region. We understand the Centre is asking innocent Voltarians to volunteer their lives for this experiment.

2. We want to state that Ghana has no evidence of Ebola outbreak to warrant Ebola vaccination trials. We have cases of malaria, cholera and HIV AIDS among others. We need vaccines or remedies for these diseases.

3. We are not going to sit down for our people to be used as guinea pigs in a needless experiment.

4. Why should a country that is not threatened by Ebola, risk the lives of its citizens for an unnecessary experiment?

5. We are appealing to the Minister of Health to intervene and stop this experiment.

6. We would be grateful if the experiment is canceled completely to prevent the use of innocent Voltarians as guinea pigs.

7. We are appealing to all Voltarians to remain calm and should not risk their lives for GHc 200 and mobile phone.

Signed Kwadwo Gyapong (NDC Regional Chairman) Simon Amegashie-Viglo (NDC Regional Sec) Henry Kojo Ametefee (NDC Regional Org)

Criminal trial

Meanwhile, the Coalition for Ghana’s Independence Now (CGIN) has said it is “disappointed” in the Ghana government for allowing its citizens to be used for an Ebola vaccines trial.

The Coalition said in a statement: “Investigations by Starr FM under-cover team have made public a clandestine attempt by authorities to use midwifery students at Hohoe in the Volta region for human experiment on the Ebola vaccine in a country with no Ebola case.

“We want to say without fear or favor that, Ebola is not just a disease but rather a well-planned business. A business where people have created an artificial problem and now looking for a market to sell the solution and we are telling Ghanaians beforehand that there is and will be no way by which Ghana can go through this Ebola virus human experiment without Ebola being spread country wide.”

“We also would want Ghanaians to know that, since there is no a single case of Ebola or patient in Ghana, healthy people would have to be infected with the Ebola virus before the said vaccine is administered to them for a gamble.

“It is therefore from the above illogical scenario that we consider the intended human experimentation of Ebola in Ghana as criminal, human right abuse, thievery and a total disrespect of Ghanaians as human beings.”