Springfield, Illinois - The State of Illinois will join the World Health Organization's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) despite President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the UN agency.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced the decision on Tuesday, arguing that the move was vital to protect his state from future global disease outbreaks, despite the US' departure from the WHO.

"By withdrawing from the World Health Organization, Donald Trump has undermined science and weakened our nation's ability to detect and respond to global health threats," Pritzker said in a statement. "I refuse to sit idly by and let that happen."

"By joining the [GOARN], we are ensuring that our public health leaders – and the public – have the information, expertise, and partnerships they need to protect the people of our state."

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Trump's decision to withdraw from the WHO, via an executive order immediately after his inauguration, came into effect on January 22.

The move cuts the US off from early warning systems for outbreaks of dangerous diseases, global coordination of vaccinations, as well as access to and cooperation on health research.

"I hope that the US will reconsider its decision and rejoin WHO," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO's director. "Withdrawal is a loss for the US and also a loss for the rest of the world."

GOARN is one of the most important agencies within the WHO, as it responds to public health events that could pose a global risk.

"Illinois is joining the World Health Organization's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network," Pritzker wrote on X, announcing the decision.

"I refuse to sit by as Donald Trump undermines science and weakens our nation's ability to detect and respond to global health threats."