The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that it was setting up an independent panel to review its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response by governments. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have agreed to head the panel and chose its members, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual meeting with representatives of WHOs 194 member states, which was webcast. "This is a time for self-reflection," Tedros said, Reuters reported. He also noted that earlier in May, WHOs member states called unanimously for an evaluation of the global response to the pandemic.