Hohoe welcomes Ebola vaccine trial

Residents of Hohoe have debunked rumours that they were against the trial of Ebola vaccine in the Municipality and say they only requested education on the trial vaccine.

“No one rejects a good thing; we welcome it, the explanations and educations have cleared all misconceptions,” Mr Fredolin Kwesi Bansah, a former Assemblyman for Ahado and Tsevi Electoral area, said at a public forum on the Ebola Vaccine Trial in Hohoe.

The forum was organised by the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS).

Mr Bansah, who initially petitioned the UHAS on the exercise, and was leading the Concerned Citizens of Hohoe for a demonstration against the vaccine trial in the Municipality, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) the Group cancelled its activities and was ready to support UHAS for a successful exercise.

“We wanted explanations and we are satisfied and want the trial now,” he said, promising the readiness of his group to help in sensitising the people on the importance of vaccine trial in Hohoe.

Madam Monica Ayate, a trader, commended the UHAS for the quick response to the concerns of the public and said: “We welcome the trial if the explanations they are giving us now are correct.”

Togbega Gabusu VI, the Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area, in an interview with the GNA after the forum, said: “Hohoe is ready for any trial. That is why the Centre is here.”

He blamed the earlier public outcry about the exercise in Hohoe to communication gaps and stated the readiness of the traditional authorities to support the exercise.

Professor Fred Binka, Vice Chancellor, UHAS, said the trial was important because the Ebola crisis was far from over.

“Though the outbreak vastly slowed, one missed infection could threaten progress made,” he stated.

Prof Binka reassured the public on the safety of the vaccine, saying that the volunteers would be insured comprehensively.

He said Germany, the United States, Mali, and Kenya had tried the vaccine and called for support for the trial in Hohoe, which had approval from the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).

Prof Binka said a successful trial of the Ebola vaccine in Hohoe would help UHAS attract quality human resource, get trial vaccine for frontline healthcare providers, and help in determining pricing of the vaccine.

Individuals and groups in and outside Hohoe earlier criticised the UHAS for planning a trial of the Ebola vaccine on residents in Hohoe and expressed the fear of the volunteers getting infected with the Ebola virus.