Ebola Vaccine trial sensitisation starts today

The Ministry of Health (MOH) starts a sensitisation exercise on the infamous Ebola vaccine clinical trial today.

The sector Minister, Alex Segbefia; whiles addressing Parliament on Tuesday disclosed that the intended sensitization to be carried out in the Brong Ahafo and Upper East region was to disabuse the minds of Ghanaians against widespread fears that the vaccine trials would end up spreading the deadly Ebola virus.

The minister further disclosed that the sensitisation exercise will be based on “what is likely to happen and what is likely not to happen and why we must cooperate with the world in finding a vaccine that is potent enough to deal with the Ebola virus.”

According to him, the choice of Hohoe in the Volta Region for the clinical trial was because the town and Kintampo in the Brong Ahafo Region have over the years been sites for the clinical trial of vaccines.

The vaccine trial had created a lot of hue and cry over the last few weeks because of fears by the public that Ebola could be introduced through these trials.

The Ministry had admitted that there was inadequate education on the trials and asked the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to withhold it. Parliament also expressed concerns and added its voice to the withholding order before summoning the Minister to the house to give them explanations on the trial processes.

Explanations in the media by scientists across the country have been of disappointment that the vaccine trial was grossly misunderstood. An associate professor with the University of Ghana, Prof. Alex Dodoo's; explanations have 'earned' him a date with parliament to explain comments parliamentarians deem as 'disrespectful' to the house.