Speed up EU health security prep, says NATO chief medic
Want to receive this newsletter straight to your inbox? Sign up here to receive the reporting and intel from the Gastein Health Forum. SNEAK PEEK — Health security dominated the penultimate day at the European Health Forum Gastein, with calls for Europe to be better prepared to protect health infrastructure. — Parliament’s environment committee backs […]
Delegates at the European Health Forum Gastein heard from NATO’s Committee of the Chiefs of Military Medical Services chair Petter Iversen that Europe must improve its efforts to safeguard health infrastructure. Iversen proposed various strategies, such as dispersing facilities across larger geographical areas and concealing hospitals within underground structures to limit their exposure to attacks.
Eastern Europe currently faces heightened risks from Russia, with drones and cyberattacks becoming common occurrences, according to Iversen. Nations in proximity to Russia have established more robust plans, he noted, with situational awareness being more acute in those regions. Vulnerabilities in European pharmaceuticals and production are evident due to reliance on countries like China.
Consequently, enhancing resilience against potential crises is crucial. Jarno Habicht, the World Health Organization’s outgoing representative in Ukraine, emphasized the necessity for health systems to be robust enough to endure shocks. These shocks could include natural disasters, extreme heat, or cyberattacks, as they could overwhelm the sector with an influx of patients and disrupted electricity.
Written by urgent.news from Politico EU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
