Foreign medics (Bulgarians) were convicted for deliberately injecting 438 children with HIV-tainted blood. Fifty-six of the children have since died. The medics were to be hanged, but after series of appeals, the death sentence was converted to life imprisonment. Further appeals and a deal reached, allowed for the medics to be released to Bulgarian government on the condition that they continue the life sentence there. The medics were 'pardoned' right at the airport by the Bulgarian president and treated like 'the victims'

The deal reached with the EU includes: to normalize trade and political ties with Libya, European market could now be opened to Libyan farm and fishery produce, and there could be co-operation in archeology, education, Bulgaria could write off Libya's debts of $54m (£27m) owed to Sofia as a "humanitarian gesture", health care for the Libyan children infected with HIV and a compensation deal worth $1m (£500,000) per child to the families of the 438 infected children , channeled through Gaddafi Foundation, a charity run by Seif al-Islam, the Libyan leader's son. This sounds more like a 'popularity' enhancement programme by Gadaffi's son.

"$1m per child", is that what the life of a Libyan is worth? I feel utterly disgusted when issues are politicized. I wonder what the judgment would have been if the scenario were turned around, just imagine the story' headline: 'African medics inject EU (Bulgarian) children with HIV'.What !!! they would have long been forgotten in jail.I still wonder what prompted such a deal. Its very sad, considering they never showed any remorse or pleaded for pardon. Would the AU ever unify for such a deal.Be it an act of negligence or a premeditated act of murder, the fact still remains that over 400 children have been infected with the deadly virus,not 10 0r a 100 or even 200,but over 400.To let the people convicted of this heinous crime go free is to make a mockery of justice.

A similar fate also befell Nigeria (Kano) when anti-meningitis drugs were tested on children illegally under the disguise of finding solutions to the ailment. The case is in court and a similar resolution is expected. I wonder when African leaders will understand the long term implication of having African children maimed, killed or even being used as guinea pigs in European and American laboratories and not just the short-term/ immediate political gains.