After the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, NATO countries, in particular Lithuania, Poland and Estonia, began to prepare their medical facilities for possible crisis situations in the event of a new Russian aggression. About this informsPolitician.
“The question is not if Russia will attack, the question is when. We know for sure that Russia is attacking civilian infrastructure, so there cannot be a situation where the hospital is not working due to a power failure.” – said Ragnar Vaiknemets, Deputy Director General of the Estonian Health Care Council.
He emphasized that combat readiness in the region is no longer an option, but an urgent necessity. In Estonia, ambulance teams are equipped with bulletproof vests and satellite phones, and if necessary, the creation of an independent Internet network is planned. After Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy, generators are being installed in Estonian hospitals.
Poland has identified the safety of the health care system as one of the key directions. Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Health of Poland, Katarzyna Kaczperczyk, emphasized that the medical sector should be integrated into the general defense strategy.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shown that modern conflicts no longer spare medical services — nor the civilian population they serve. Eastern European countries are taking note.”, the message says.
In Lithuania, near the border with Belarus, the Santaros Clinics University Hospital in Vilnius is building underground shelters, helipads and autonomous systems to ensure operation during power and water outages. Vilnius University Hospital, together with the army and the Riflemen’s Trade Union, conducts personnel training on evacuation and mass reception of the wounded. An emergency medical team is also being formed, and young doctors are organizing forums on war preparedness.
Eastern European countries are equipping basements for operating rooms and purchasing mobile medical units — temporary treatment centers that can be quickly deployed in the event of an emergency. In wartime, the need for intensive care can increase 3-5 times compared to peacetime.
“Most facilities can operate at 120-150% of their normal load for only 24-48 hours,” – said Bjorn Guldvog, advisor to the Norwegian Directorate of Health.
