MANILA — Countries that participated in Tuesday’s special session of the World Health Organization’s executive board voiced their support for the work of the committees set up to review and provide recommendations on the global response to COVID-19, but some said evaluations need to ensure different perspectives, including those of small island states, are taken into account.
Co-chaired by former President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark, the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response was formed in July to independently evaluate the world’s coronavirus response.
On Tuesday, the panel updated its member states on what it has accomplished to date, from the selection of panel members, the development of its terms of reference, and the panel’s planned methods of working in reviewing the response. The latter included desk reviews, expert hearings or discussions on particular issues, in-depth interviews, and web surveys.
About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
