Geneva: World Health Organisation member states agreed on Tuesday to an independent probe into the UN agency’s coronavirus response as US criticism mounted over its handling of the pandemic.
Countries taking part in the WHO’s annual assembly, being held virtually for the first time, adopted a resolution by consensus urging a joint response to the crisis. The resolution, tabled by the European Union, called for an “impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation” of the international response to the pandemic.
It said the investigation should include a probe of “the actions of WHO and their time-lines pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic”. Tuesday’s resolution at the WHO assembly also called for nations to commit to ensuring “transparent, equitable and timely access” to any treatments or vaccines developed against COVID-19. (AFP)