California Joins UN Health Network After US Exit From WHO

California said on Friday it will become the first US state to join the World Health Organization’s global outbreak response network, following the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw the United States from the WHO.

The network, which includes more than 360 technical institutions worldwide, responds to public health emergencies by deploying staff and resources to affected countries and has been involved in major health crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

California’s move comes more than a year after President Donald Trump gave notice of Washington’s intent to leave the WHO. The withdrawal became official on Thursday, with the administration citing what it called failures in the UN health agency’s handling of the pandemic.

Governor Gavin Newsom sharply criticized the decision, calling it “reckless” and warning it would have serious consequences.

“California will not bear witness to the chaos this decision will bring,” Newsom said in a statement. “We will continue to foster partnerships across the globe and remain at the forefront of public health preparedness, including through our membership as the only state in the WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network.”

Newsom’s office said the governor met WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, where they discussed cooperation on detecting and responding to emerging public health threats.

The WHO did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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