We were already talking about it here, France via the Covax initiative promised ten million doses to Africa. Indeed, like many of its European peers, Paris is concerned about the low vaccination rate on the continent, 2%. Germany, for example, pledged at the end of August to increase aid to the Covax program from 30 million to 70 million.
While in the West, part of the population has been demonstrating for several weeks against the health passport and its corollary (compulsory vaccination), Europe is sparing its efforts to push for the vaccine on the continent least affected by Covid-19. A continent which, with the WHO in mind, was promised death in 2020. Yet he has proven to be one of those who best managed the Covid crisis.
In Africa, people are mostly skeptical about the vaccine
A mistrust that often draws on the scandals that the continent has experienced in this area. And above all in a good sense which leads them to favor endogenous solutions. The mistrust of these populations against the vaccine annoys, pushing some leaders to speak of “vaccine passport” like Cyril Ramaphosa in South Africa.
Or a desire to come in force like Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo State in Nigeria. The latter had decreed that it was forbidden to enter certain public places (markets, banks, mosques, churches) unless proof of vaccination was presented. Public anger and legal action brought by a citizen were necessary for a federal court to stay the decision.
Indifferent to this choice of an African population who believes they have other issues and concerns than following the social restrictions linked to Covid-19, Europe persists in helping them get vaccinated. And she often announces it ostentatiously, for example with the additional doses promised by Paris.
What vaccines does France plan to send to Africa in its batch of ten million doses announced at the end of August?
According to a well-researched article published on the AIMSIB * website, these are Astrazeneca doses. However, this vaccine has been withdrawn in France for children under 55 years old.
At the end of August, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, taken over by Gavi.org *, declared: “The sharing of doses is not only the expression of solidarity: it is an essential condition to ensure equitable and universal access to vaccines. of quality against COVID-19. This new partnership with the African Union and Gavi / COVAX will allow France to donate 10 million doses of Astra Zeneca and Pfizer vaccines to African countries. It embodies France's desire to be alongside the African populations to fight with them against the pandemic. "
These are unused doses of Astrazeneca that are intended for the African continent where the majority of the population is young, according to Dr Eric Ménat, member of AIMSIB and CSI *:
“Imagine my surprise at the end of August, when the HAS explained that the Astra vaccines were not sufficiently effective and that the DGS no longer allows French doctors to use them since the end of July, to discover that 'generously' France was going send those doses of unused and unusable vaccines back home to African countries, ”he writes.
Dr Ménat arrived at this observation by inquiring about the case of caregivers vaccinated with Astrazeneca or Janssen. They find themselves in a configuration where their first vaccination is not recognized.
Here is a summary of the article:
“- The HAS informs the doctors that the AstraZeneca and Janssen vaccines have a limited effectiveness against the new variants and in particular the delta.
- In fact, the DGS is withdrawing the possibility for the French to use these two vaccines in the future, which are no longer available for ordering.
- Caregivers vaccinated with these two vaccines therefore represent a greater danger for themselves and for others than unvaccinated caregivers.
- For the logic of the law to be respected, it therefore seems necessary that all caregivers thus vaccinated be immediately banned from practicing.
- France, after having withdrawn the right to use the AstraZeneca vaccine from its population under 55, now completely bans its use on its soil and gets rid of its unused lots by transferring them to Africa , whose populations are however predominantly among those under 55 years of age. ”
Africa, a dumping ground for vaccines?
Dr Ménat’s comments reflect the unease resulting from this “solidarity” which has met with little popular support on the spot. Above all, there are practices that conscious African youth endure less and less.
“How to qualify this shameful and false generosity towards African countries? These vaccines are not good for us, but they would be good enough for them ””?
Questions which will undoubtedly find echo on the continent, the first not to understand this extreme solicitude of the West when, moreover, the fight against immigration obliges, she is frequently invited to stay at home. In reality, this is already the case, with intra-African immigration being the majority.
Humanism or marketing hypocrisy
This is the question Dr Menat is asking.
“I find it completely shameful for France, a country of Human Rights, to be proud of sending vaccines to countries which cannot afford to buy them when she- even do not recommend them for these fellow citizens.
Isn't there a stench of contemptuous colonialism here? The complacency of industrialized countries towards so-called "developing" countries which, however, have managed the health crisis much better than we have so far. It's even worse than that, because sending this ineffective vaccine to these populations statistically much younger than us is to offer them a doubly poisoned gift and to offer them a 'drug' whose benefit-risk ratio is more than doubtful. .
Indeed, I recall that the Astra vaccine was contraindicated in France before age 55 because of its poor tolerance.
In any case, all this does not do our country credit. Gone are the days of the "Enlightenment" when France shone through its example and its humanism.
A good hearer! ”
SAISI
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