VOLTA NDC KICKS AGAINST EBOLA VACCINE TRIAL IN HOHOE

The leadership of the National Democratic Congress in the Volta region is calling on the Ministry Of Health and other stakeholders to immediately call off an imminent Ebola Vaccine Human Experiment at an Ebola Research Centre in Hohoe in the Volta Region.

In the press statement the NDC Regional Executives have this described the exercise as unfortunate hence subjecting the people in the region to such an experiment is tantamount using them as “human guinea pigs’’.

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

The highly anticipated test of an experimental Ebola vaccine in Ghana has generated a mounting anxiety about the spread of the deadly virus in the West Africa country with some civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations kicking against it.

The press statement also questioned the appropriateness of conducting such an exercise in a country which has not recorded a case of the Ebola Disease.

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

Ebola is basically a contagious and deadly disease. Its major symptoms are severe bleeding, organ failure, and can lead to death. Over 5,000 people in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Senegal and Nigeria has died out of the deadly disease.

The vaccine which will be administered to volunteers by an injection in the deltoid muscle of their arm, first in a lower dose, then later in a higher dose after the safety of the vaccine has been determined is expected to grow antibodies in humans to resist the Ebola Disease.

 All participants in the trial would be evaluated nine times over a 48-week period and  be  awarded cellular phones along with GH¢200 each.  Students of the Hohoe Midwifery School are already being encouraged to participate reports say.

However the leadership of the ruling NDC in the Volta region appeals for the cancelation of the exercise.

“We are appealing to the Minister of Health to intervene and stop this experiment. We would be grateful if the experiment is canceled completely to prevent the use of innocent Voltarians as guinea pigs.”