(Reuters) -A coalition of 15 U.S. governors representing more than a third of the country's population has launched a new bipartisan alliance on Wednesday, aimed at improving public health coordination and emergency preparedness.
The Governors Public Health Alliance will serve as a hub for governors and public health officials to share best practices, exchange data and collaborate on emergency response, vaccine policy and other technical issues, according to a joint statement from the coalition.
The
alliance comprises Colorado, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Guam.
"While Donald Trump and RFK Jr. turn their backs on public health, Governors are stepping up to make sure our residents have the health care they need and deserve," Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Severe budget reductions due to current and proposed federal cuts and funding pullbacks under the Trump administration have put public health at risk, the governors said.
"With regular uncertainty and less resources from Washington D.C., governors are on the front lines of public health," Colorado Governor Jared Polis said in a statement.
The alliance is supported by GovAct, a nonpartisan nonprofit initiative that supports coordinated governor action, and advised by national health experts, including Dr. Mandy Cohen, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The launch comes as U.S. states and territories prepare for seasonal illnesses like flu and RSV, monitor emerging threats such as avian flu and mpox, and plan for major international events like the 2028 Olympics, where cross-border coordination will be critical.
The alliance will provide governors and their teams with toolkits, timely policy briefings and coordinated strategies ahead of major events, while offering a forum to address health security challenges.
The Northeast and West Coast states have created similar alliances to make their own vaccine recommendations in response to the Trump administration's changes to federal vaccine policy.
(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole and Puyaan Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar and Anil D'Silva)
