These images show delivery of Chinese medical supplies in Ghana
- This article is more than one year old.
- Published on April 16, 2020 at 16:49
- Updated on April 17, 2020 at 11:56
- 2 min read
- By Mayowa TIJANI, AFP Nigeria
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One post, archived here and shared hundreds of times, claims “the vaccine has just arrived Nigeria airport few hours ago from China [sic]. Please stay away from it. The vaccine that arrived from China is coronavirus”. The Facebook user also alleges that “China want [sic] to give the coronavirus to our people,” asking that Nigerians not to accept the supplies.
The same claim has been made elsewhere on Facebook, including here, here, and here.
The pictures were taken in Ghana -- not Nigeria
A reverse image search showed the images were shot by photographer Xu Zheng for Chinese news agency Xinhua. According to the caption, they were taken at Kotoka International Airport in Ghana's capital Accra and not in Nigeria.
“A staff member unloads Chinese medical supplies from an airplane at the Kotota International Airport in Accra, capital of Ghana, April 6, 2020,” the caption reads. It adds that they were part of aid deliveries to 18 African countries.
“The beneficiary African countries are Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Gabon, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Benin, Cape Verde, as well as Sao Tome and Principe.”
There are no vaccines for COVID-19 yet
The World Health Organization (WHO) said in early April “there is no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-2019” at this stage.
A global group of scientists, physicians, funders and manufacturers coordinated by WHO have come together as part of an international push to develop a vaccine. As of April 13, 2020, the process was still in progress.
Nigerian Health Minister Osagie Ehanire has acknowledged China’s support in the battle against the novel coronavirus in the form of medical supplies and personnel -- not vaccines.
Chris Isokponwu, special adviser to the minister, told AFP that items received from the Chinese government in early April consisted of “personal protective equipment and ICT materials to strengthen port health services”.
The country has also received 100,000 face masks, 1,000 protective gowns and 20,000 test kits from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, as AFP reported here.
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