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Germany’s healthcare system is not prepared for a war, according to an interview with Dr. Dietmar Pennig, a prominent German surgeon. Pennig is the general secretary of two medical associations, the German Society for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery and the German Society for Trauma and Emergency Medicine.
In the event of a war, Germany would be a battleground with over 700,000 soldiers from NATO member states. Pennig estimates that in the first day of a war, there could be up to 1,000 injured, with a quarter of them being severely injured, which would be a massive challenge for the healthcare system.
Germany’s healthcare system is not equipped to handle the influx of war-injured patients. Pennig notes that the existing network of hospitals and medical staff is not prepared to handle the psychological and physical demands of a war scenario. He emphasizes the need for training medical staff to deal with the unique challenges of war injuries, such as high-velocity gunshot wounds and shrapnel injuries.
The German healthcare system is also not financially prepared for a war. Pennig estimates that the cost of treating war-injured patients would be three to four times higher than the current costs of the healthcare system. He suggests that the government should allocate around 420 million euros for the healthcare system to be prepared for a war.
The article highlights the need for the German healthcare system to prepare for a war scenario, including training medical staff, equipping hospitals and allocating funds for the healthcare system.