Germany’s healthcare system remains critically unprepared for a large-scale conflict, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions stemming from the Ukraine war, according to Andreas Gassen, Chairman of the Federal Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV). In an interview with the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”, Gassen voiced deep concerns regarding the nation’s readiness to handle mass casualties and the disruption of essential services in the event of an attack.
Four years after Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine, Gassen states that the federal government lacks a comprehensive plan for utilizing the full spectrum of medical resources and addressing logistical hurdles, particularly concerning the storage of vital supplies. While acknowledging the Bundeswehr’s (German Armed Forces) medical units are technically proficient, Gassen bluntly declared the overall German healthcare system – and likely the nation as a whole – “not battle-ready.
The call for increased preparedness comes as a stark reminder of a pledge made by former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach in March 2024 to draft legislation enhancing Germany’s capacity to provide medical care during military conflicts. Despite the promise, no such legislation has materialized and there are no discernible public plans from current Health Minister Nina Warken. This inaction raises questions about the government’s commitment to addressing a clear and present danger.
Gassen’s anxieties extend beyond immediate casualty care, focusing heavily on the vulnerability of critical infrastructure. He highlighted the nation’s complete lack of readiness for hybrid warfare scenarios, particularly disruptions to electricity and water supplies. He questioned the availability of alternative power generators and independent water sources, specifically beyond hospitals, essential for maintaining medical services in a crisis.
Acknowledging that most general practitioners in Germany would be ill-equipped for deployment in a combat zone and would need to maintain routine patient care, Gassen suggested a potential solution: a nationwide registry of medical professionals, detailing their skills and availability for deployment in various capacities. The concept would resemble a voluntary system, compiling vital information for rapid mobilization in a crisis and addressing the potential staffing shortages within hospitals when clinical personnel are called up for defense duties.
The KBV is currently developing a standardized understanding of the situation, actively engaging in discussions with the Bundeswehr and learning from the direct experiences of Ukrainian medical colleagues. These exchanges, Gassen emphasized, underscored the brutal reality of modern warfare, where Russia has demonstrated a deliberate strategy of targeting not only civilian populations and key infrastructure but also medical facilities and healthcare professionals. This targeted destruction poses a significant and escalating threat that demands a more robust and proactive response from German policymakers.