African Center for Disease Control Reveals Covid-19 Vaccine Testing

The Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has announced that the organization has been carrying out trials for Covid-19 treatment and vaccination in Africa. 

According to its website, the vision of the center is to strengthen the capacity and capability of Africa’s public health institutions as well as partnerships to detect and respond quickly and effectively to disease threats and outbreaks, based on data-driven interventions and programs.

In a joint online briefing with doctors at Shanghai hospital earlier today, the Africa CDC said that in comparison to the rest of the world there were very few treatments happening on the continent.

The claim came after the news of Covid-19 vaccine testing in the continent attracted negative reactions from critics who accused the center of secretly offering Africans as ‘lab rats’.

A senior specialist at the center, Dr. Taji Rajudeen outlined the trials so far as:

• In Egypt, about 13 trials are on-going, looking specifically at therapeutics. Scientists, there are also conducting around two trials on vaccines. They are also looking at the place of nutritional support, especially with honey and some immunotherapy trials are going on in Egypt.
• In Zambia, they have one ongoing trial with hydroxychloroquine.
• South Africa is part of the WHO solidarity trial, and they are looking at Chloroquine, Interferon, Remdesivir.
• In Nigeria, they have one trial in progress - still on therapeutical agents.
• Tunisia has two trials going on.

Observers and critics alike have continued to demand transparency from authorities in activities relating to Covid-19, especially as there are claims from various centers fuelling the speculation that the international community is secretly carrying out testing for Covid-19 vaccines on the continent – a proposition which Africans have unanimously rejected.

The Africa Centre for Disease Control, however, claims that the organization is trying to mobilize the different research consortiums on the continent to see how to change this narrative so that Africa becomes more engaged in that regard.

Updated records reveal that there are currently 37,923 total confirmed cases, 23,893 active confirmed cases, 12,412 recoveries, and 1,618 confirmed deaths from Covid-19.

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