Germany is increasingly preparing for a scenario in which it would have to join other NATO countries in militarily defending against Russia. One of the key issues is the state of the country's healthcare system, Bloomberg reports.
Across Germany, government authorities are assessing the state of the healthcare system and related infrastructure, trying to determine how prepared they are for a possible wartime scenario.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius previously warned that Russia could attack NATO territory by 2029. If that happens, Germany would be obligated to participate in the defense of the Alliance.
Due to its geographical location in the center of Europe, the country would likely play an important role in transporting troops and receiving the wounded.
The Bundeswehr analyzed possible scenarios of a war between Russia and NATO and concluded that, during certain periods, Germany could receive up to 1,000 wounded service members per day.
The country's five military hospitals would not be able to handle such an influx on their own. Under German law, civilian hospitals would also be required to provide care in the event of war.
This could place unprecedented pressure on the healthcare system and force medical personnel to allocate resources between military and civilian patients.
