Overview
- California announced it is the first and only U.S. state to join WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network.
- The step follows the United States’ formal departure from the WHO on Thursday after a yearlong process initiated by President Trump.
- Newsom met Director-General Tedros at the World Economic Forum in Davos to discuss collaboration on detecting and responding to emerging threats.
- The administration defended the withdrawal, with HHS saying the WHO strayed from its mission and mishandled the pandemic, while Newsom condemned the decision as reckless.
- GOARN connects more than 360 technical institutions to deploy expertise during acute health events, as California also advances PHNIX, the West Coast Health Alliance, and the Governors Public Health Alliance to bolster preparedness.