Ebola vaccine trial: Lead scientist offers to be used for test

The lead scientist for the Ebola Vaccine trial in Ghana, Prof. Fred Binka has offered to volunteer for the clinical trial.

According to him, he would be delighted to be used for the vaccination trial if that will bring an end to the misconception about the trial scheduled to take place in the Volta Region.

Prof. Binka who is the Foundation Vice-Chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, said on Starr FM that 'I have had a battle with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA); I would be the first to take the vaccine. Because this is a political disease and maybe we have to find different ways of doing that. I don't think I will be offering Ghanaians something that will be dangerous to them.'

'But if they can see that I personally can take the vaccine, I will be happy to do that. When this vaccine came to Geneva, the assistant WHO director took it and so there is no problem at all,' he said.

At a recently held sensitisation forum in Accra, Prof. Binka debunked speculations by a section of the public that Ebola was being introduced into the country.

He said the Ebola vaccine clinical trial to be conducted in the country could not cause Ebola.

Professor Binka said no vaccine had been brought into the country yet and corroborated the assurance that the trial would not put anybody at risk of contracting the Ebola virus should it be conducted in the country.

Background
The FDA earlier this month gave approval for the Ebola vaccine trial to take place in Hohoe in the Volta Region.

However, the Minister of Health, Mr Alex Segbefia suspended the trial following a public outcry.

He further called for more consultation on the proposed trial which was to be undertaken at Hohoe in the Volta Region.