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Zambia: MPs React Angrily at Botched HIV Trials
Lusaka — Tempers flared in the Zambian parliament on Wednesday 24th when legislators quizzed the country's health minister to issue a statement regarding the failed microbicide clinical trials in which 46 women volunteers contracted HIV and AIDS virus.
According to Africanews, the women volunteers contracted HIV out of over 1000 that took part in a microbicide trail in Zambia's southern town of Mazabuka.
Angered with the silent stance taken by the Zambian government since the results of the botched trials were announced last December, some legislators tasked Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao to issue a ministerial statement over the microbicide trials which have attracted mixed reactions across the country.
The law makers were prompted to force the minister of health to explain to the nation what transpired during and after the trials after a series of mixed statements by government officials.
In response, Simbao stated that government was disappointed with the Microbicides Development Programme (MDP) trials and that it has since stopped organizations and people from conducting the trial because the programme had proven ineffective.
"Government believes that research is important because it provides data for policy-making and implementation. Government is, however, disappointed with the results of the MDP trials which were conducted in Mazabuka.
The results are clear that microbicides do not work and the Zambian government therefore has discontinued further MDP trials.