This story was produced as part of the Colorado Capitol News Alliance. It first appeared at cpr.org.
Last month, the Trump administration announced a breakup: its official withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization. The president initiated the split with an executive order on the first day in office of his second term.
But Gov. Jared Polis clearly thinks a global health partnership has value.
He said Friday that Colorado intends to join the WHO’s Global Outbreak and Response Network, a step which will mean the state will work more directly with the WHO to ensure its “cutting-edge health science can benefit Coloradans.”
The move follows other states and one city that also have Democratic leaders.
The World Health Organization said last week, California, Illinois, New York and New York City would be joining the network.
Polis calls U.S. withdrawal from WHO unfortunate
“We want to learn from health science around the world to help make sure Coloradans can get the most advanced and effective treatments for diseases,” Polis said in a press release. “The unfortunate United States’ withdrawal from WHO reduced the ability of states to access global public health data. Disease does not stop at the borders, and preparedness depends on timely information and partnerships.”
Colorado is taking steps, he said, to make sure doctors and hospitals are better connected to global early-warning systems and scientific expertise “so we can better protect Coloradans.”
Trump’s executive order from January 2025 spelled out his complaints with the WHO. Those include "the organization's mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states."
CPR reached out to media representatives for Colorado House and Senate Republicans, but didn’t receive a response before the deadline.
A spokesperson said there is no cost to participate in the network. “Colorado has not allocated — nor does it plan to allocate — any new state funding for this effort,” said Derek Dash, a spokesperson for the governor, in an email. He noted Colorado’s connection with the global network relies on existing public health infrastructure and expertise and that its participation will be carried out through current operations “at no additional cost to taxpayers.”
Doctors call it the right move
Doctors in Colorado who track infectious diseases said they support the move.
“It is extremely important for the scientific community to remain engaged and active with other scientific organizations in the world, especially those tracking emerging infections,” said Dr. Michelle Barron, senior medical director of infection prevention and control for UCHealth. “This is a great opportunity for learning, collaboration, and for preparedness.”
“It’s sad that it’s come to this, but it’s the right move,” said Dr. Sean O'Leary, a Colorado pediatrician who is chair of an infectious disease committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“Infectious diseases can emerge anywhere and spread quickly. Access to coordinated global surveillance and rapid technical collaboration helps us identify risks sooner and respond with precision,” said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and State Epidemiologist.
COVID responsible for death of 15,000 Coloradans
Colorado’s most recent experience with a global pandemic had devastating consequences. COVID-19 claimed more than 15,000 lives in its first three years and caused a historic decline in life expectancy not seen since WWII.
COVID-19 has caused 1.6 million deaths in the U.S., the most of any country, and 7.1 million globally.
Last fall, Polis helped found the Governors Public Health Alliance. The group is a nonpartisan coalition of governors. It said it will work together “to strengthen preparedness, expand coordination across state lines, and serve as a cross-state liaison with the global health community.”
