WHO Chief Welcomes Impartial, Independent Review of Virus Response

The WHO said this month that it’s considering a new mission to China to seek the source of the virus. International experts were part of a previous delegation to the country in February, at the height of China’s outbreak.

“We need to pursue international cooperation on testing methods, clincal treatment, and vaccine and medicine research and development,” Chinese President Xi said. “We need to continue supporting global research by scientists on the source and transmission of virus.”

The WHO has also faced criticism from the Trump administration that it was too deferential to China over its handling of the crisis. The EU’s draft resolution, backed by countries including Brazil, Japan and Canada, suggested evaluating the WHO’s response to the pandemic “at the earliest appropriate moment.”

Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he welcomed calls for an impartial independent and comphrehensive evaluation.

“It must encompass the entirety of the response by all actors in good faith,” he said in a speech. “So I will initiate an independent evaluation at the earliest appropriate moment to review the experience gained and lessons learned and to make recommendations to improve national and global pandemic preparedness and response.”