A WHO-appointed independent panel has said it will present a report next year to review the health agency and the global response to the coronavirus outbreak.&nbsp;

"We must honour the more than 25.6 million people known to have contracted the disease and the 850,000 and counting who have died from COVID-19," Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Liberian president, who will co-chair the panel along with former New Zealand PM Helen Clark.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/global-coronavirus-cases-exceed-25-million-death-toll-at-858295-324812">Global coronavirus cases exceed 25 million; death toll at 858,295</a>

He added that the panel will meet on September 17 and every six weeks until April. It hopes to brief WHO in November and submit a final report next year.&nbsp;

Also read&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-reports-over-7000-new-coronavirus-cases-for-second-consecutive-day-325090">France reports over 7,000 new coronavirus cases for second consecutive day</a>

Johnson Sirleaf also said it is "a strong panel, poised to ask the hard questions".&nbsp;

Clark said that WHO had made it "clear" that they will have full access to any internal documents, adding "anything we want to see, we see".

On Thursday, the panel added 11 other members, which include Joanne Liu, who was an outspoken WHO critic when he led Medecins Sans Frontieres during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa from 2014-2016.

Zhong Nanshan, a well-known Chinese doctor who was first to publicly confirm human-to-human transmission of COVID-19; Mark Dybul, who chaired the Global Fund to tackle AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; are also part of this independent group.&nbsp; 
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A WHO-appointed independent panel has said it will present a report next year to review the health agency and the global response to the coronavirus outbreak. "We must honour the more than 25.

A WHO-appointed independent panel has said it will present a report next year to review the health agency and the global response to the coronavirus outbreak. "We must honour the more than 25.6 million people known to have contracted the disease and the 850,000 and counting who have died from COVID-19," Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Liberian president, who will co-chair the panel along with former New Zealand PM Helen Clark. Also read | Global coronavirus cases exceed 25 million; death toll at 858,295 He added that the panel will meet on September 17 and every six weeks until April. It hopes to brief WHO in November and submit a final report next year. Also read | France reports over 7,000 new coronavirus cases for second consecutive day Johnson Sirleaf also said it is "a strong panel, poised to ask the hard questions". Clark said that WHO had made it "clear" that they will have full access to any internal documents, adding "anything we want to see, we see". On Thursday, the panel added 11 other members, which include Joanne Liu, who was an outspoken WHO critic when he led Medecins Sans Frontieres during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa from 2014-2016. Zhong Nanshan, a well-known Chinese doctor who was first to publicly confirm human-to-human transmission of COVID-19; Mark Dybul, who chaired the Global Fund to tackle AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; are also part of this independent group.

WHO's independent panel to submit report on pandemic response next year

An independent panel advising the World Health Organization (WHO) stopped short of recommending taxing sugary drinks on Friday after failing to reach a consensus.

The UN&nbspagency said it would pursue the fight against childhood obesity and diabetes, but activists had hoped for a strong endorsement for a tax to discourage consumption of sweetened beverages.

Some countries, such as Mexico, France and Britain, are already taxing sugary drinks and the WHO made a non-binding recommendation in October 2016 that governments should impose a 20 per cent tax.

Sania Nishtar, a former Pakistani health minister who co-chaired the panel, declined to give details of how its 21 members - who include heads of states and health ministers - voted. However, she said some of the evidence in favour of a tax had been queried.

"The reason behind the opposition of one commissioner, in particular, was with regard to the strength of evidence (on sugar)," she said, without naming the person.

Asked about any industry lobbying or influence on the panel's decision not to back a tax, Nishtar replied: "We did not have any input from the sugar industry."

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency remained committed to tackling child obesity.

"One thing I would like to assure you is the WHO position cannot change because of this report," he told a news conference.

"This is because youth consumption of sugar is associated with obesity. At the same time, taxing sugar was shown to reduce consumption in many countries. Not only that, the money from tax can be used to strengthen the health system," he said.

He established the WHO Independent High-Level Commission on Noncommunicable Diseases last year to provide advice on how to reduce premature deaths from such diseases by one third by 2030.

The panel on Friday called on governments to increase efforts to fight an explosive epidemic of non-communicable diseases in low and middle-income countries which account for 71 per cent of all deaths globally, or 41 million deaths a year.

To achieve progress, "governments should work with: food and non-alcoholic beverage companies in areas such as reformulation, labelling, and regulating marketing", its report, which goes to a United Nations summit in September, said.

The commission made six recommendations in its report, including for government heads to take responsibility for disease reduction and to increase regulation. It did not mention taxes specifically.

Britain's sugar tax on soft drinks came into effect in April and led manufacturers to reformulate their products beforehand to be below the levy's sugar threshold.

France and Hungary have imposed taxes on drinks with added sugar, while Ireland gained EU approval in April.

Some countries, such as Mexico, France and Britain, are already taxing sugary drinks

An independent panel advising the World Health Organization (WHO) stopped short of recommending taxing sugary drinks on Friday after failing to reach a consensus. The UN&nbspagency said it would pursue the fight against childhood obesity and diabetes, but activists had hoped for a strong endorsement for a tax to discourage consumption of sweetened beverages. Some countries, such as Mexico, France and Britain, are already taxing sugary drinks and the WHO made a non-binding recommendation in October 2016 that governments should impose a 20 per cent tax. Sania Nishtar, a former Pakistani health minister who co-chaired the panel, declined to give details of how its 21 members - who include heads of states and health ministers - voted. However, she said some of the evidence in favour of a tax had been queried. "The reason behind the opposition of one commissioner, in particular, was with regard to the strength of evidence (on sugar)," she said, without naming the person. Asked about any industry lobbying or influence on the panel's decision not to back a tax, Nishtar replied: "We did not have any input from the sugar industry." WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency remained committed to tackling child obesity. "One thing I would like to assure you is the WHO position cannot change because of this report," he told a news conference. "This is because youth consumption of sugar is associated with obesity. At the same time, taxing sugar was shown to reduce consumption in many countries. Not only that, the money from tax can be used to strengthen the health system," he said. He established the WHO Independent High-Level Commission on Noncommunicable Diseases last year to provide advice on how to reduce premature deaths from such diseases by one third by 2030. The panel on Friday called on governments to increase efforts to fight an explosive epidemic of non-communicable diseases in low and middle-income countries which account for 71 per cent of all deaths globally, or 41 million deaths a year. To achieve progress, "governments should work with: food and non-alcoholic beverage companies in areas such as reformulation, labelling, and regulating marketing", its report, which goes to a United Nations summit in September, said. The commission made six recommendations in its report, including for government heads to take responsibility for disease reduction and to increase regulation. It did not mention taxes specifically. Britain's sugar tax on soft drinks came into effect in April and led manufacturers to reformulate their products beforehand to be below the levy's sugar threshold. France and Hungary have imposed taxes on drinks with added sugar, while Ireland gained EU approval in April.

WHO panel split on soft drink sugar tax to cut obesity

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WHO's independent panel to submit report on pandemic response next year

WHO panel split on soft drink sugar tax to cut obesity