China, WHO acted too slowly on COVID-19, says response panel

Geneva, Jan. 19 -- : An independent panel has slammed China and the World Health Organisation (WHO) for "early shortcomings" in the initial response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, established by WHO in May 2020, is co-chaired by former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, CNN reported.

In a report released on January 18, the panel called for an overhaul of global health alert and response systems, saying the current system is "not fit for purpose."

"The Panel also describes additional early shortcomings at each step of the global and national response to COVID-19 which have contributed to the pandemic. These include a failur...