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 However, this vaccine has been withdrawn in France for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
