There shall be no wrong doing under our watch: WHO on ebola trial in Ghana

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Created on Wednesday, 10 June 2015 00:00

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There shall be no wrong doing under our watch: WHO on ebola trial in Ghana

The World Health Organisation says it will not preside over any wrong doing in the much talked about ebola vaccine trials set to be undertaken in Ghana.

The WHO representative in Ghana Dr Magdal Robalo said ethics, safety of the volunteers remain paramount criteria despite the sense of urgency for the trial to be conducted.

"There shall be no wrong doing under our watch," Robalo assured.

The announcement for the trial in Ghana has been met with a barrage of criticisms across the country. MPs have led the charge and unanimously demanded the suspension of the trial pending comprehensive public education.

At a forum to begin the public education the scientists who were to undertake the vaccine trial warned Ghana still faces threats of a possible outbreak of the disease.

They said the spread of the disease on the continent is not over, and the trials would help position Ghana to effectively contain a possible outbreak.

The team has hinted it is still interested in going ahead with the trials despite public objection and government suspension.

They have however reduced the number of volunteers from 36 to 12.

Joy News' Joseph Opoku Gakpo who was present at the forum said participants were concerned about the likely spread of the virus if the vaccines were to be introduced into the country. The scientists were quick to dismiss that assertion.

The participants were also curious about the choice of Ghana for the vaccine trial. They thought that countries which were struck by the virus ought to have been used for the trial and not Ghana.

But organisers of the forum explained that such vaccine trials are best undertaken in countries without the virus and on people who have not contracted the virus. That way, the potency of vaccine could be ascertained.

The participants were also not impressed with the 200 Ghana, one mobile phone incentive for volunteers of the trial.

Prof Fred Binka who is the vice chancellor of the university of Health and Allied Sciences explained that Ho was chosen for the trial because there is a centre at Ho where a number of vaccination trials had been taken and they thought it was prudent to use the same centre for these trials.

Source: Myjoyonline