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Following the World Health Organization’s support for the Ebola vaccine trials in Hohoe and Kintampo, An Accra-based Private Legal Practitioner, has strongly kicked against the planned Ebola Vaccine trial expected to take place at Hohoe in the Volta Region.

Lawyer Kwame Akuffo wondered why there appears to be a deliberate scheme by foreign nations to introduce the dreaded Ebola virus into the country after Ghana was lucky not to have recorded any cases of the disease.

Ghana was expected to begin Ebola vaccine trials in Hohoe and Kintampo by the end of this month (JUNE). 

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) Monday gave international pharmaceutical companies, Johnson & Johnson, Bavarian Nordic, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), to commence the trial in the country.
 
The trials would have informed scientists on effective results regarding the Ebola vaccine. 

According to the FDA, the development of the vaccine will benefit the country and will not pose any health threats to the public.

The Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences Ho, Professor Fred Binka, who disclosed this to Radio Ghana, said the trial was being supported by the WHO.

Although participants in the voluntary programme will be given Ȼ200.00 and a mobile phone, several Civil Society organisations and the Volta Regional branch of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) have all kicked against the exercise.

Following the massive public outcry, government called for a suspension of the exercise.

Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Health, Tony Goodman told Peace FM’s morning show host, Kwami Sefa Kayi, on Wednesday's edition of ‘Kokrokoo’, that the ministry has decided “that the best thing to do is to suspend the trial”. 

Prior to the announcement of the suspension, Lawyer Kwame Akuffo warned on Okay Fm’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show that the country cannot be used to as an experimental ground to test the efficacy of the Ebola vaccine in the world since there was no records of Ebola virus in the country; insisting that the Americans and other countries which detected the Ebola cases should instead be used for the trials.

“Americans should be used for Ebola vaccine test and not Ghanaians. We were lucky to record no Ebola case in this country and so why should we be used as guinea pigs to test the effectiveness of the Ebola vaccine? The whites who came up with the vaccine, if they feel it is good then they should try it themselves and if it turns out to be effective, let them ship it to us,

“….in this country, the Food and Drugs Authority cannot even detect fake paracetamol and malaria drugs and when will the authority get the means to detect fake Ebola vaccine. When did the FDA develop the capacity to inspect the Ebola vaccine to come to the conclusion that Ghanaians will not suffer any adverse effects if they undergo the trials?”

“We have seen several vaccine tests where blacks have been used as Guinea Pigs for the test. They should use their own Americans for the test….I will suggest that the officer at the FDA who said we should go for the Ebola vaccine test should lead the way. God was kind to us and there was no reported case of Ebola, so why do we want to bring it upon ourselves?” he quizzed.