Washington joins World Health Organization’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network
This story appears in the April 2026 edition of The Washington Nurse.
Washington state is now part of the World Health Organization Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOARN), a worldwide partnership of public health agencies, national governments, academic centers, laboratories, and response organizations focused on rapidly detecting and responding to public health emergencies.
Washington State Gov. Bob Ferguson made the announcement on April 1 and said the network strengthens Washington’s preparedness for emerging threats and future pandemics.
“By joining GOARN, we’re ensuring Washington’s public health leaders have the tools and information they need to protect Washingtonians," Ferguson said.
The announcement came after President Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) in January.
Washington joins California, Illinois, Colorado, and New York City in joining GOARN.
The governor’s office said Washington’s public health experts would benefit from the following resources:
- Global outbreak early-warning alerts.
- Technical collaboration and support during major public health events.
- International training, exercises, and best-practice exchanges.
- Coordinated outbreak response support.
Visit the GOARN website for more information.