What’s behind US states joining WHO’s outbreak response system
By Jenny Lei Ravelo // 18 February 2026
The World Health Organization has welcomed the decision by U.S. states to join the agency’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network, or GOARN, which brings together public health agencies, laboratories, academic institutions, and NGOs worldwide to share surveillance data and deploy experts to help countries affected by outbreaks.
Global health experts see the decision by the states of California, New York, and Illinois as symbolic — a statement to the current U.S. federal government that they do not align with its decision to withdraw from WHO.
It also comes with mutual benefits.
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About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
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