Australia’s push for an independent inquiry into the origins of the CCP virus has been met with overwhelming support from the international community.
The majority of the WHA member countries reached consensus and the draft was formally adopted on May 19, including by China.
Health minister Greg Hunt wrote on Twitter late on Tuesday night: “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.”
Making a note to look into the actions of the WHO and their timelines on the outbreak of the virus, the resolution also asks that the inquiry make recommendations to improve global pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacity.
While not mentioning Wuhan or China in the proposal, the resolution does ask that the inquiry and the WHO works closely with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and countries to identify the zoonotic source of the virus and its introduction into the human population.
The resolution also noted that the WHO should also look into the possible role of intermediate hosts, through efforts such as scientific and collaborative field missions so that the countries could prevent the establishment of new reservoirs of the disease.
“We need to learn the lessons from this pandemic and ensure we have the strongest possible global health architecture, with an enhanced ability to prevent and respond to future outbreaks,” Hunt said.
Speaking on Seven’s Sunrise program on May 19, federal trade minister Simon Birmingham said that the Australian government welcomed the decision.
Birmingham said that the government believed that the decision would “give the world greater confidence that there will be a proper investigation into the origins and handling of COVID-19.”
“It does not matter which country you are talking about, they have faced a loss of life, economic damage and we have to make sure that we do learn all those lessons and be better prepared,” said Birmingham.
China’s ambassador to Australia said it was “nothing but a joke” for Australia call the support of 110 nations for the inquiry a “vindication,” the ABC reported.
United States President Donald Trump responded to the decision by the WHA by releasing a copy of his letter to the WHO Director-General on Twitter. In the letter, President Trump outlined his reasons for withdrawing the WHO funding, including in it the details of the draft COVID-19 resolution.
