Government discusses health sector preparedness for potential threats
Representatives of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and other state institutions and the military discussed with medical institutions and medical organisations on Monday in the Government the resilience of the health sector and preparedness for crises and war situations.
The roundtable discussion was attended by the Chancellor of the Government Giedrė Balčytytė, the Advisor to the Prime Minister Živilė Gudlevičienė, representatives of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Interior, the Lithuanian Armed Forces, the Lithuanian National Crisis Management Centre, representatives of health care institutions and medical organisations, as well as participants of the Blue/Yellow mission to Ukraine.
The meeting discussed the responsibilities and cooperation of public authorities, the capacities and needs of medical facilities, and the involvement of medical communities in strengthening preparedness for a crisis or a state of war.
"While it can sometimes be difficult to predict when and in what form a crisis situation might occur, preparing for different threat scenarios, conducting exercises to see the gaps, continuously updating knowledge and skills, and other resilience-building activities are no less meaningful for that. On the contrary, basic preparedness is essential to ensure the continuity of essential state functions and the interaction between institutions and society in the event of potential crises. I am pleased that in recent years much attention has been paid to this, both at the level of individual institutions and bodies, and at the national level, through mutual cooperation," said the Chancellor of the Government, Giedrė Balčytytė, during the briefing.
National Crisis Management Center carried out a resilience situation assessment of 14 major personal health care facilities. It reviewed the preparedness of facilities to ensure business continuity in the face of various types of disruptions. Overall, the data shows that all facilities have the medical equipment resources to provide services for at least 1 month or longer. However, the analysis shows that the preparedness of the facilities is not uniform in other parameters, and it is important for each facility to accelerate its preparedness in this area.
According to Jurgita Grebenkovienė, Chancellor of the MoH, the Lithuanian health sector is strengthening its preparedness for all possible threats: nuclear, radiological and chemical emergencies, large-scale industrial accidents, epidemics of dangerous communicable diseases, warfare, etc.
"In the event of an emergency, health facilities must mobilise all available resources and act as one coherent mechanism. That is why, together with other state institutions, the military and the medical community, we are constantly testing and improving cooperation algorithms, investing in infrastructure and staff training, and building up a reserve of necessary supplies. All these processes will help to ensure adequate preparedness for potential threats," says the SAM Chancellor.
Beatričė Vėliuvienė, a member of the Association of Young Doctors, agrees with the need to have a clear plan for dealing with war or a major disaster.
"The Association of Young Doctors recently carried out a survey which showed that the medical community is aware of the potential threats and the importance of strengthening their skills in dealing with emergencies. However, a large proportion of those surveyed do not feel sufficiently prepared to work in emergency situations and express the need for training," said Vėliuvienė during the roundtable discussion.
To strengthen the emergency preparedness of medical personnel, around 6,000 health professionals are to be trained between 2024 and 2026, and six exercises are planned for this year alone between medical institutions and the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Last updated: 15-07-2024
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