Independent experts who had been commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) published a report on the management of the covid-19 pandemic, which has claimed more than 3,3 million lives worldwide.

This is the result of an investigation that has lasted eight months. The 13 experts assessed the progression of the coronavirus around the world as well as the various measures that have been taken by health authorities and states to curb its spread. Several factors are at the origin of the current health situation. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, one of the chairs of the WHO-mandated group of independent experts, told a press conference that “ this situation is due to a myriad of failures, gaps and delays in preparation and response “. In the report, it is also stated that “ the combination of poor policy choices, a lack of will to tackle inequalities and a poorly coordinated system created a toxic cocktail that allowed the pandemic to turn into a catastrophic human crisis ».

According to specialists, the alarm about the existence and the circulation of the virus was given too late on the part of China, but not only. New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who is also on the expert panel, said: “ we can say that there have been clearly delays in China, but there have been delays everywhere “. Indeed, the group believes that the declaration of the highest level of alert, that is to say a public health emergency of international concern, could have been carried out by the WHO before January 30. However, professionals also denounce that even if this announcement had been made earlier, it would have had little impact on the management of the crisis, in the face of ” the inaction of so many countries “. In summary, ” delays, hesitations and denials Were enough for the coronavirus to create an epidemic, then a pandemic, the report formulates.

Experts advise leaders to put in place several reforms so that countries around the world are better prepared and alerted. To do this, a World Committee to Combat Health Threats could, for example, be created. The expert group also recommends a “ full transparency As for the publication of information on epidemics that risk turning into a pandemic, which would no longer require the agreement of the various countries.