KATHMANDU: In an internally published critical report, Canada's Public Health Agency has shared a “lessons learned” analysis which suggests that the agency lacks staffers, expertise and resources necessary to abate the looming COVID-19 pandemic.

The Public Health Agency of Canada based in Ottawa was formed to warn about potential health threats like that of COVID-19 pandemic, however, the internal report drawn by auditors of the agency concluded that it lacked key people and expertise during the crisis.

The report scripted by the agency back in September was publicized, following the request from the Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner, which shows the weaknesses in the working mechanisms of the much-trusted health agency, highlighting that it lacked key personnel.

NDP MP Don Davies has been quoted as saying, “I don’t expect perfection and there can be deficiencies here and there. I think that’s to be expected, but this is a scathing indictment of an agency that is comprehensively understaffed and underprepared.”

Canada has been majorly affected by highly-contagious infection with more than 750,000 cases being reported, as of today, and more than 19,000 lives lost consequential to the pandemic.