Coronavirus: World Health Assembly passes motion for independent virus inquiry

The World Health Assembly has voted to conduct an independent review of the global coronavirus response following Australia’s calls for a probe.

The World Health Assembly (WHA) has passed a motion to conduct an independent review of the global coronavirus response, including the source of the virus and how it was transmitted to humans.

The lengthy motion, proposed by more than 130 states including Australia, New Zealand, the UK and EU members, passed with no objections on the second day of a WHA summit on Tuesday.

The proposal requests that the head of the World Health Organisation "initiate, at the earliest appropriate moment" an "impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation" of the WHO-coordinated response to COVID-19.

It also calls for the health agency to work with the UN and other organisations to “identify the zoonotic source of the virus and the route of introduction to the human population, including the possible role of intermediate hosts”.

The aim is to “reduce the risk of similar events as well as to provide guidance on how to prevent SARS-COV2 infection in animals and humans and prevent the establishment of new zoonotic reservoirs, as well as to reduce further risks of emergence and transmission of zoonotic diseases,” the motion said.

Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt said he was “delighted” the motion had passed.

Delighted that the WHA Assembly has passed by consensus the Motion calling for an impartial, independent & comprehensive examination of the global response to COVID-19.

The support of 137 co sponsors further strengthens this as a key step to protect against future pandemics.

— Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) May 19, 2020

In a joint statement with Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne, he said: “The Australian government today welcomes the adoption of a landmark resolution on the global COVID-19 response at the 73rd session of the World Health Assembly, which was EU-led and cosponsored by over 130 WHO member states.

“The resolution commits to an impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation into COVID-19, at the earliest appropriate moment, to review the lessons learned from the international health response coordinated by the World Health Organisation.

“There is also a clear mandate to identify the source of the COVID-19 virus and how it was transmitted to humans, which will be necessary to prevent and reduce the risks of the emergence of new diseases that pass from animals to humans.

“Australia has been clear and transparent in calling for an independent review into COVID-19, which is an unprecedented global health and economic crisis.

“Australia will continue to be a consistent and constructive voice in the international community to advance and protect our national interest and the global interest.”

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WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the world must learn from the virus. Picture: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

The European Commission also welcomed the resolution, saying it was “important” for the world to evaluate how it handled the crisis.

“An independent investigation of how this pandemic started and spread will be important, as we will need to draw lessons from the current crisis to strengthen our global preparedness for the future,” a joint statement from Vice-President Josep Borrell and Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said.

The United States also joined the consensus, but distanced itself on certain references to sharing intellectual property and on reproductive rights.

The US mission to Geneva said in a statement the review would ensure “complete and transparent understanding of the source of the virus, timeline of events ... and the decision-making process for the WHO’s response”.

But it had to “disassociate” itself from the references in the pandemic resolution to intellectual property under the so-called “TRIPS” agreement that allows for compulsory licensing of medicines and vaccines during a health emergency.

Such language would “send the wrong message to innovators who will be essential to the solutions the whole world needs”, the US statement said.

The Trump administration also “believes in legal protections for the unborn”, and it could not accept the idea of an international right to abortion, it added.

The motion calls for the “continued functioning” of health services including “sexual and reproductive health”.

The WHA passed the motion during its first ever virtual assembly. Picture: AFP/World Health Organisation/Christopher Black

CHINA SUPPORTS MOTION

China agreed to co-sponsor the resolution just before it was adopted.

Beijing had previously opposed calls for such investigations from Washington and Canberra, but Chinese President Xi Jinping signalled on Monday that he would be amenable to an impartial review led by the WHO.

“China supports the idea of a comprehensive review of the global response to COVID-19 after it is brought under control to sum up experience and address deficiencies. This work should be based on science and professionalism, led by WHO and conducted in an objective and impartial manner,” he said.

Despite the supportive words, shortly afterwards China announced it would slap barley tariffs on Australia in a move widely seen as payback for instigating the probe.

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The Chinese embassy also labelled claims that Australia had been victorious in its push for a probe as “a joke”.

“The draft resolution on COVID-19 to be adopted by the World Health Assembly is totally different from Australia’s proposal of an independent review,” a spokesman said on Monday.

“A close look at the draft itself can easily come to such a conclusion.

“All those who know the consultation process that led to the resolution understand this.

“To claim the WHA’s resolution is a vindication of Australia’s call is nothing but a joke.”

#WHA73
Resolution on #Covid19 response unanimously adopted by the 73rd World Health Assembly, with some new co-sponsors added. Some countries afterwards request to explain their positions. https://t.co/D0QzlR4UdC pic.twitter.com/7Lnakd1R7E

— Geneva Global Health Hub (G2H2) (@G2H2_Geneva) May 19, 2020

WHO BACKS INQUIRY

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus thanked member states for adopting the resolution, saying the organisation remained “fully committed to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement".

On Monday Dr Tedros said “the greatest failing” would be not to learn from the crisis.

“This is not a new message. Reviews after SARS, H1N1 and West African Ebola highlighted shortcomings … and made numerous recommendations,” he said.

US President Donald Trump has criticised the WHO over its handling of the pandemic. Picture: Brendan Smialowski/AFP

The motion also calls for nations to commit to ensuring “transparent, equitable and timely access” to any treatments or vaccines developed against COVID-19.

It came after President Trump chastised the WHO on the first day of the summit and lashed out further against China over its role in the outbreak.

Just hours before the motion was passed, Mr Trump threatened to permanently pull funding from the WHO, and to consider a US exit from the UN health agency if it does not commit to “major substantive improvements” within 30 days.

Washington provides between $US400 million and $US500 million a year to the WHO budget of nearly $US3 billion.

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But the European Union said on Tuesday it was sticking by the WHO and urged all other countries to do the same.

European Commission spokeswoman Virginie Battu-Henriksson said global cooperation was “the only effective and viable option” to win the battle against the virus.

“This is the time for solidarity. It is not the time for finger pointing or undermining multilateral cooperation,” she said.

The coronavirus has so far infected more than 4.8 million people across the world and killed over 318,000.

- With wires