Germany is preparing its healthcare system for a possible war scenario involving drone attacks, a mass influx of wounded people, and strikes on critical infrastructure. According to Bundeswehr estimates, in the event of a war on NATO territory, up to 1,000 wounded military personnel could be brought to German hospitals every day, Bloomberg reports, writes UNN.
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Preparations have intensified against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and hybrid attacks in Germany. Among the latest incidents, Bloomberg cites an attempted drone attack involving explosives against Leipzig Airport and cyberattacks targeting medical facilities.
The Bundeswehr believes that the country’s five military hospitals would quickly reach their limits in such a scenario. Therefore, a significant number of wounded people would be taken to civilian hospitals, which would likely have to treat military and civilian patients simultaneously and carry out medical triage.
Bunkers, drone protection, and surgeons’ training
At the military hospital in Ulm, officials are considering restoring an underground medical bunker dating back to the Cold War, designed to accommodate up to 2,000 people for 90 days. Bringing it back into operation would require modernizing its ventilation and power supply systems.
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German hospitals are also assessing the possibility of installing protective barriers against drones and bulletproof glass, creating additional stocks of medicines, and converting underground premises into shelters. Civilian surgeons are also being trained to deal with mass casualties and wartime injuries.
Is our healthcare system ready for this? The only answer is: no
One of the problems remains the shortage of trained specialists: according to estimates, only a few hundred doctors in Germany have experience treating injuries typical of war.
In March, the Bundeswehr held its largest medical exercises in decades, during which it simulated an attack on Lithuania and the evacuation of wounded people to German hospitals.