January 24, 2026
California announced on Friday that it will be the first US state to join the World Health Organization’s Global Disease Outbreak Response Network, following the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw Washington from the organization.
The network consists of more than 360 technical institutions and works to respond to public health emergencies by sending staff and resources to affected countries.
The network has dealt with several major public health events, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
California’s decision to join the network comes more than a year after US President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw Washington from the World Health Organization. Last Thursday, Washington officially withdrew from the agency, declaring that its decision reflects the shortcomings in the organization’s management of the pandemic.
“Rash” decision
California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the US decision today, describing it as “reckless” and will harm many people.
In a statement, Newsom added: “California will not bear the consequences of the chaos this decision will cause. We will continue to strengthen partnerships around the world and remain at the forefront of public health preparedness, including through our membership as the only state in the World Health Organization’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network.”
The Governor’s Office indicated that he met with the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, where they discussed cooperation in detecting and responding to emerging public health threats.
The World Health Organization did not immediately respond when contacted for comment.
