Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Coronavirus: Global push for inquiry into Covid-19 response

Coronavirus: Global push for inquiry into Covid-19 response

Global health leaders are pushing for an independent review of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic at the UN's World Health Assembly.
Monday's virtual meeting brings together envoys from 194 member states of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO is facing questions on how it dealt with the coronavirus pandemic.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has defended his country's actions during the outbreak, spoke during Monday's opening ceremony.
He said China had acted "with openness and transparency" and insisted that any investigation should happen after the pandemic was brought under control.
In other opening remarks, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed a proposed resolution calling for a review of the WHO's handling of the pandemic and said it would initiate it "at the earliest opportunity".
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the WHO must be given more legal powers to ensure that countries report outbreaks and share data.
"A novel infectious disease could emerge at any time and we must be able to respond more quickly and effectively," he said.
The two-day assembly - an annual meeting that reviews the work of the UN's health agency - comes amid recriminations between the US and China over the virus.
The US has already stopped its funding for the agency and is promoting its own vaccine programme.

More than 4.5 million people have been infected and more than 300,000 have died since the virus emerged in China in December. (BBC)