FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Professional Organizations for Nurses of Color Unite: Global Health Requires Unity Amid U.S. Withdrawal from WHO

Alexandria, VA — February 27, 2025: Leading racial and ethnic diverse nursing organizations across the country express profound concern over the United States’ decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). This decision jeopardizes vital international partnerships, threatens progress on global health equity, and places vulnerable populations at greater risk.

The WHO is essential in addressing global health crises, advancing public health initiatives, and coordinating responses to pandemics. Withdrawal from this organization undermines collaboration with international health partners, risks setbacks in maternal care, combating infectious diseases, and threatens efforts to address systemic health inequities.The interconnectedness of global health has been made evident by past and ongoing public health crises. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how critical it is to have a coordinated, collaborative global response to emerging health threats. Now more than ever, continued engagement with international health organizations is essential to ensuring the safety and well-being of communities worldwide.

Coordinated unified global approaches are critical to improving healthcare outcomes for all populations, particularly historically underserved groups. Minority nursing organizations call on healthcare professionals, policymakers, and institutions to prioritize health equity initiatives that sustain global collaboration and advocate for systems that address equitable healthcare access, quality, and outcomes. A sustained commitment to these partnerships is vital for strengthening healthcare systems, advancing medical innovation, and ensuring marginalized communities are not left behind in global health initiatives.

Together, we reaffirm that global health cannot succeed in isolation. We are urging the United States to reestablish full WHO membership thus, recommitting to international collaboration and prioritizing equitable health solutions that protect and uplift communities all around the world. Humanity’s resilience shines via unification.

About Us

This statement reflects the shared commitment of racial and ethnic diverse nursing organizations across the United States, including:

  • Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing
  • Association of Black Nursing Faculty
  • Black Nurses Week
  • DLJames Consulting
  • Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program
  • DNPs of Color
  • Multicultural CRNA Conference Organization
  • National Alaska Native American Indian Nurses Association
  • National Association of Hispanic Nurses
  • National Black Nurses Association
  • National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations
  • Philippine Nurses Association of America
  • Society of Latinx Nurses
  • The Melanin Initiative