Healthcare resilience is becoming a critical security priority.
BRUSSELS, Belgium. European governments are preparing hospitals and public health systems for potential military conflicts, biological emergencies and large-scale disruptions, as security officials warn that the continent’s medical infrastructure remains unevenly equipped to withstand simultaneous crises.
The preparations reflect lessons from Russia’s war in Ukraine, where attacks on healthcare facilities, medical supply shortages and growing rehabilitation needs have demonstrated how armed conflict can overwhelm civilian health services.
Brigadier General Petter Iversen, Norway’s surgeon general and chairman of NATO’s Committee of the Chiefs of Military Medical Services, has emphasized that healthcare resilience is inseparable from national security. Hospitals must be capable of managing mass casualties while maintaining essential treatment for the wider population.
A growing concern involves the intersection of artificial intelligence and biotechnology. AI can accelerate drug discovery and medical research, but European officials warn that its misuse could also increase biological security risks.
Laurent Muschel, a senior official at the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), has called for stronger surveillance and regulatory safeguards as advances in synthetic biology and AI introduce new challenges.
HERA is developing preparedness measures involving medical countermeasures, including broad-spectrum antivirals and antibodies that could help address certain biological threats before more targeted treatments become available. Such approaches remain dependent on the nature of the threat and the effectiveness of available medicines.
Preparedness levels vary considerably across Europe. Countries near Russia and NATO’s eastern flank have intensified investments in hospital capacity, medical training and emergency response systems. Germany, Norway and several Baltic and Nordic countries are among those expanding their capabilities.
However, additional hospital beds alone cannot guarantee resilience. Medical professionals require specialized emergency training, secure working environments and reliable access to essential supplies.
Ukraine’s experience has highlighted the importance of trauma care, rehabilitation and psychological support. Former World Health Organization representative Jarno Habicht has emphasized the growing needs of patients with severe injuries and amputations, alongside the pressures experienced by healthcare workers.
Supply chains represent another vulnerability. Hospitals depend on pharmaceuticals, equipment, protective materials and functioning transportation networks that could be disrupted during armed conflict or other emergencies.
The European Union’s broader preparedness strategy seeks to strengthen coordination among governments, healthcare providers, industry and emergency response institutions.
For Europe, the challenge is transforming these plans into operational capabilities before a major crisis occurs. Effective preparedness requires sustained investment, trained personnel and healthcare systems capable of adapting under extraordinary pressure.
Beyond the Headlines, Preparedness Saves Lives.