The United States says a WHO study on the origin of the virus is not transparent

Geneva – The United States continued to attack the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday, claiming that the panel set up to investigate the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was not set up “transparently” and did not “comply with the mandate agreed upon by member states”.

In a video address to the annual World Health Assembly (WHA) ministerial meeting of 194 WHO member states, the latest criticism came from Gareth Griggsby, director of the U.S. Department of Health and Global Affairs.

Griggsby said WHO member states had been notified of the terms of reference (TORs) for the hearing a few days earlier.

“The terms of reference have not been openly negotiated with all WHO member states. The TORs and the investigation appear to be inconsistent with the mandate issued by the member states,” he said.

US President Donald Trump clashed with the World Health Organization and announced in May that the United States would end its relationship with the World Health Organization.

Trump said he would take action against the World Health Organization because “they have failed to make the reforms demanded and greatly needed.”

He previously suspended Washington’s funding over concerns that the World Health Organization had misused the corona virus outbreak.

Trump continues to insist that China has “full control” over the World Health Organization, claiming that the Chinese authorities “neglected their reporting duties” during the epidemic and pressured them to “mislead the world.”

Griggsby said many WHO members have put forward plans that include “increased transparency, accountability, greater global integration and improved communications.”

“There is great agreement that the WHO and IHR (International Health Regulatory) state parties need to improve preparedness and response in key ways,” he said.

Griggsby said the WHO did not use all the information available to combat the Corona virus novel.

“Taiwan is a resounding success in how to combat Covid 19, so it will be very useful to understand its response as many member states are fighting another wave of lawsuits,” he said. “Preventing Taiwan from participating in the WHA as an observer would have the opposite effect.”

The United States and some other WHO members who invited Taiwan as an observer to the WHA failed on Monday because of insufficient support from members.

“We need to share information and strengthen our own domestic capabilities so that we have a transparent and integrated global framework to detect threats early, prevent further spread and support each member state to protect its people,” Griggsby said.

As of November 10, less than 51 million people worldwide had confirmed Covid-19 cases, with more than 1.26 million deaths and more than 33.28 million recoveries, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the United States. (Anatolia)