A motion calling for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 are expected to be endorsed by more than 100 country’s at this week’s World Health Assembly.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues a dominate global politics, another health entity has entered the discussion.
While the World Health Organization (WHO) has been the focus of the fight against COVID-19, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has highlighted the World Health Assembly (WHA) as a focus in the near future.
The WHA does not get a lot of publicity, but it could become significant in global politics in the coming days.
What is the WHA?
The WHA is an annual meeting of all 194 members for the WHO.
The assembly is held every May, with delegates from each nation travelling to the Swiss city of Geneva to meet and make decisions on global health, according to the WHO website.
This year’s event will be the 73rd edition of the assembly, but due to coronavirus, it will be held online.
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This year’s event has been crammed into two days, with any outstanding matters anticipated to be dealt with at another arranged meeting later in the year
It will be held on May 18-19.
According to the WHO website, COVID-19 will take up the majority of discussion at this year’s assembly.
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Why is the assembly needed?
There are several objectives at each assembly.
Making decisions about global health issues is the main objective.
These decisions are important because they will direct the policies of the WHO for the next 12 months.
Decisions are ordinarily dictated by the WHA executive board, a group of 34 health professionals appointed to the role.
Dr Lisa Studdert is Australia’s representative on the executive board.
Members also elect a president and five vice-presidents of the WHA for the next year.
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Why is the WHA in the news?
Australia has been leading the charge, along with the United States, in calling for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.
This has angered China, which has interpreted an inquiry as an attack and started a trade dispute with Australia.
The WHA is where Mr Hunt is expecting around 120 other nations to endorse the inquiry.
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The motion, which has been drafted by the European Union, calls for an “impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation” of the “international health response to COVID-19”.
China and the United States have not yet signed onto the motion.
Has there been any other news about the WHA?
There has and it’s to do with Taiwan.
The island of roughly 23 million will again not have a seat at the table when the assembly starts.
As it is considered part of China, Taiwan is represented by delegates from Beijing.
But Taiwan wants a seat at the table and have attended as an observer in the past.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry earlier this month complained official coronavirus data and prevention methods it had provided to the WHO were not being shared with the international body’s member states.
World leaders including Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Canada’s Justin Trudeau have called for WHO to grant Taiwan full membership.
The US State Department has campaigned for the WHO to allow Taiwan a place at the table. Australia, too, backs Taiwan joining the organisation, but only as an observer.
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