Handling of Covid Pandemic: WHO sets up review panel

The World Health Organization, which faced fierce US criticism over its handling of the coronavirus crisis, launched an independent panel yesterday to review its response to the pandemic.

The Independent panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response will be headed by former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark and former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

"Through you, the world will understand the truth of what happened and also the solutions to build our future better as one humanity," World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at the UN agency's headquarters in Geneva.

At their annual assembly in May, WHO member states agreed to an independent probe into the UN agency's coronavirus response, following repeated US attacks.

US President Donald Trump had accused the WHO of botching its handling of the pandemic and of being a "puppet of China".

The resolution, tabled by the European Union, called for an "impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation".

It said the investigation should probe "the actions of WHO and their time-lines pertaining to the Covid-19 pandemic".

The United States on Tuesday formally started its withdrawal from the WHO, making good on Trump's threats to deprive the UN body of its top donor over its management of the pandemic.

Public health advocates and Trump's political opponents voiced outrage at the move.

'THIS HAS TO STOP'

Tedros hit out at divisions in the international community and warned of severe consequences if this were not rectified.

"Make no mistake: the greatest threat we face now is not the virus itself -- rather, its the lack of leadership and solidarity at the global and national levels," he said.

"We cannot defeat this pandemic as a divided world. The virus thrives on division but is thwarted when we unite."

The novel coronavirus has killed more than 550,701 people since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to an AFP tally yesterday.

"How is it difficult for humans to unite to fight a common enemy that's killing people indiscrimately? Tedros said.

"Together is the solution, unless we want to give the advantage the enemy, to the virus that has taken the world hostage -- and this has to stop."

Tedros said it was time for honest reflection, and stressed it was important to remain vigilant.

"We're in the midst of this battle. The battle of our lives, and we have to do better, not just now but for the future. Because these threats will never stop and, in all likelihood, they will get worse," he said.

The panel will stage one mission briefing per month to give updates, while it will present an interim report to the next World Health Assembly gathering in November.