Coronavirus: Africa will not be testing ground for vaccine, says WHO

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has condemned as "racist" the comments by two French doctors who suggested a vaccine for the coronavirus could be tested in Africa.

"Africa can't and won't be a testing ground for any vaccine," said Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

When asked about the doctors' suggestion during the WHO's coronavirus briefing, Dr Tedros became visibly angry, calling it a hangover from the "colonial mentality".

"It was a disgrace, appalling, to hear during the 21st Century, to hear from scientists, that kind of remark. We condemn this in the strongest terms possible, and we assure you that this will not happen," he said.

It comes after two French doctors were accused of racism last week for suggesting that Africa should be the testing ground because the people there are highly exposed.

Jean-Paul Mira, head of intensive care at Cochin hospital in Paris, said: 'If I can be provocative, shouldn't we be doing this study in Africa, where there are no masks, no treatments, no resuscitation?

'A bit like as it is done elsewhere for some studies on Aids. In prostitutes, we try things because we know that they are highly exposed and that they do not protect themselves.'

Camille Locht, head of research at the Inserm health research group agreed 'you are right' and added that a study in Africa was already being considered.

He said: 'We are in the process of thinking about a study in parallel in Africa.'

The comments caused outrage on social media with many viewers calling the comments racist.