California Joins WHO Disease Outbreak Alert Network after US Withdrawal

California has joined the World Health Organization’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), becoming the first US state to do so following Washington’s withdrawal from the international health body, according to a report by Reuters.

The move comes after the United States formally exited the WHO, a decision that has drawn criticism from California officials. 

The office of Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed that the state’s membership was finalized after Newsom met with WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

GOARN is a global network that brings together hundreds of institutions to respond to public health emergencies, including major disease outbreaks such as the Covid-19 pandemic. 

By joining the network, California aims to maintain direct cooperation with international health partners and strengthen its preparedness for future public health threats.

Governor Newsom said the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the WHO was “reckless” and would harm both Californians and Americans more broadly. 

He added that California would not bear the consequences of what he described as federal “chaos,” stressing that the state would continue to build global partnerships and remain at the forefront of public health preparedness.

Federal officials have defended the US withdrawal by citing what they called the WHO’s failures in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. 

In a joint statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accused the organization of abandoning its core mission and acting against US interests, claiming it had followed political and bureaucratic agendas driven by countries hostile to the United States.

According to the Associated Press, officials in the Trump administration say the US maintains bilateral public health relationships with several countries and is seeking to ensure direct information-sharing without the WHO acting as an intermediary. 

However, they have not provided specific details about the scope of these arrangements.

Public health policy has long been a point of contention between California and the federal government, particularly on vaccination guidance. 

Last year, Governor Newsom signed legislation requiring the state to follow recommendations from independent medical organizations rather than those issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.