WHO sets up panel to review handling of COVID-19 pandemic

The World Health Organisation on Friday announced setting up of an independent panel of experts to review the handling of the Covid- 19 pandemic and the response by governments worldwide.

The World Health Organisation on Friday announced setting up of an independent panel of experts to review the handling of the Covid- 19 pandemic and the response by governments worldwide. The announcement was made after strong criticism by US President Donald Trump who called the WHO a 'China-centric body', according to Al Jazeera.

The former heads of states of New Zealand and Liberia Helen Clark and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have reportedly agreed to head the panel. WHO President Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the magnitude of this pandemic had virtually touched everyone and deserved a commensurate evaluation.

The co-chairs will select the other panel members, he said. The panel will then provide an interim report to an annual meeting of health ministers in November and present a "substantive report" next May.

"This is not a standard report that ticks a box and is then put on a shelf to gather dust. This is something we take seriously," Tedros said. (ANI)