Key facts
- Europe must enhance its health security infrastructure to protect against escalating threats, including those from Russia and cyberattacks.
- Petter Iversen, chair of NATO’s Committee of the Chiefs of Military Medical Services, advised diversifying health infrastructure and considering dual-use facilities like underground hospitals.
- Reducing dependency on countries like China for pharmaceutical supply chains is essential for European health security during crises.
- Jarno Habicht, WHO outgoing representative in Ukraine, stressed the need for healthcare system resilience against diverse shocks, including natural disasters and cyber threats.
Delegates at the European Health Forum Gastein heard calls for Europe to accelerate preparations to protect its health infrastructure amid rising security threats. Petter Iversen, chair of NATO’s Committee of the Chiefs of Military Medical Services, highlighted the need for better defenses, particularly in light of ongoing attacks in Ukraine and increasing threats from Russia, including drones and cyberattacks.
Iversen suggested that Europe could protect its health infrastructure by spreading facilities across a larger geographical area and considering dual-use designs for future infrastructure, such as building hospitals within underground parking structures equipped with power and water supplies. He noted that countries closer to Russia's eastern flank are more acutely aware of these daily pressures.