Posted By Staff Reporter
By Bryan Kramer Yesterday I posted a short article titled Fake News on Covid Continues. The article responded to a post being shared on social media purportedly by Profession Peter Siba making serious allegations about the integrity of the Department of Health COVID-19 Committee. “They have by-passed the PNG National Medical Research Advisory Committee which is the appropriate board that has been responsible for giving ethical clearance for all of the vaccines, drug and research in PNG since 1964. I wonder why the rush for by-passing the proper ethical body to introduce this commercial CV19 vaccine in PNG,” the statement said. It goes on to claim that “the PNG "Traitors" CV19 Committee at NDoH [National Department of Health] are using WHO [World Health Organization] and European ethical guidelines to introduce the vaccine in PNG…. Shame!!! Shame!!! on those so called PNG National "EXPERTS" for rushing to introduce this vaccine without producing hard laboratory and epidemiological data to indicate the severity of the disease.” “It is very clear now that the VACCINE IS FOR MONETARY GAINS AND NOT FOR HUMANITY.” Professor Siba later posted the following statement: "Dear FB friends and friends please ignore and a delete a recent repost by a faker pretending to be me. I am not the Chairman of MRI as stated in the post and no current affiliation with that institution."
This was also shared on the Government Whatsapp group by a fellow Member. Unaware of Professor Siba’s previous posts on social media and, with the understanding his response was referring to the entire post, yesterday I posted an article suggesting the entire post was fake and never authored by Professor Siba. But I was later informed that Professor Siba did in fact make those statements, and was only disputing the reference he was Chairman of IMR. I avoid any further confusion I contacted Prof Siba directly to establish whether or not he in fact made the statements concerning COVID vaccination. He confirmed that he had made those statements. During our conversation, he said “I am not changing my views regarding the decision by the Government to endorse the introduction of the AstraZeneca Vaccine that WHO and foreigners want to use in PNG. The Medical Research Advisory Committee which is the PNG National Medical Ethics Committee has not been given the opportunity to examine and deliberate on the scientific and ethical issues related to this the usage of this vaccine. This same vaccine is now the debate of the pandemic with failure in many countries around the world. Vaccines are an excellent tool against preventing the population against viral and bacterial diseases, but not this current one.” “Member, as a patriotic Png. Ethical issues are the concern here. I will not be threatened by anyone based on my personal views as a virologist, medical researcher actually involved with research on vaccines in pNG over 30 years. My people will not be used as Guinea pigs. See what's happened in Europe with this CV 19 vaccine AstraZeneca.. I saw this coming. That's why I raised these issues a month ago. Hon. member, I will not be intimidated or threatened by anyone to change my views. I just need to be convinced that the vaccine that you are giving PNGeans is safe.” “Our concerns now are now for the health and well being of our people. Therefore, all learned persons need to contribute to better decisions to advise our Government on how to control the spread and contain this virus. I have always been available to help the government on this Cv19 but no one wants to involve myself and other learned PNGeans residing out of Pom.” I asked if this was an evidence-based position, or whether it was his personal view. His response: It's my own personal view. Following my conversation with Professor Siba, I removed my last article. My takeaway from this conversation is that there is a massive amount of false and misleading information being said or shared about the COVID-19, even by people in the medical profession who should know better to be making serious allegations without any evidence to support it. And foolish opinions are being spread by people who are upset that they are “left out” or not being properly listened to, despite the fact that their views may not be valuable. So they have outbursts on social media which are then forwarded through the usual channels, causing distrust and confusion. This distrust and confusion can have devastating real-life impacts if it stops people from getting vaccinated, protecting themselves against the virus, and keeping their loved ones safe. I am only interested in the facts and credible evidence. So many PNGeans are being so easily fooled by countless video testimony and publications on COVID-19 by persons who have NO authority, NO expertise or actual evidence to support their claims that the COVID vaccine is not safe or that COVID-19 is a fake virus. Professor Siba claimed that the Government bypassed PNG National Medical Research Advisory Committee (NMRC), which he said was the appropriate board for giving ethical clearance for all vaccines, drugs and research in PNG since 1964. However, I looked into the background of NMRC and noted its purpose is to approve any research being conducted in PNG by researchers. And that is its only responsibility. With due respect to Professor Siba there is no COVID vaccine research being conducted in PNG to suggest there has been a breach of ethical protocol. Now I'm sure Prof Siba like everyone else has genuine concerns about the Government's decision to approve the use of Covid Vaccine in PNG. These concerns are based on fact both the Prof and everyone else know very little about the vaccine. COVID vaccines have undergone trials involving more than 30,000 people before being approved. To date, over 397 million vaccines have been administrated around the world – 118 million in the US alone. PNG's total population is around 10 million. If more than 397 million vaccines administered why are we in PNG carrying on about whether it is safe or not and refusing to be “guinea pigs.” News flash: when close to 400 million vacancies have been used, we can hardly claim to be guinea pigs when the vaccine hasn’t even been rolled out in PNG. And when it is, it won’t be compulsory. We’ll be lucky to secure enough vaccine for everyone who wants it. By all means don’t take the vaccine. But stop pushing false and misleading information or being so easily fooled by Covidiots Next : Why Did The Court Put Bryan Kramer In Charge Of Fixing Madang Town Roads?
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Kramer ReportInside story through in-depth investigative reporting and critical analysis by Honourable Member for Madang Open Bryan Kramer Categories
All
|