General News of Wednesday, 10 June 2015

Source: Malik Abubakar

Parliament orders for suspension of Ebola Vaccine trial

Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho

Parliament has asked for the immediate suspension of the ongoing Ebola Vaccine trial phase 1 project in the Volta Region until further notice.

The House has accordingly, extended an invitation to the Minister of Health, Alex Segbefia, to come and brief members on the clinical trial being conducted by the School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences in the Hohoe Municipality.

The stance of the House was necessitated by an SOS call made by the MP for Ho West, Emmanuel Bedzrah, on behalf of the Volta Caucus on the floor of the legislator on Wesdnesday.

“Mr. Speaker, we are not against our Research Institutions undertaking research and medical trials but we cannot accept the situation where the proposed trial is carried out without proper communication and interaction with major stakeholders in the region”.

“Mr. Speaker, monitoring the mood of the Region in respect of this matter, we wish to call for an immediate suspension of this exercise”, Mr. Bedzrah noted in a statement delivered on the floor of the House.

He told the House that as representatives of the people, they owe it a duty to their constituents to ensure their safety and wellbeing.