Only 8% of Polish hospitals have full facilities to operate under threat conditions, Poland has 2.4 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (below the EU average), and over 80% of active substances used in drug production in the country are imported – according to the report “Safe in Times of Crisis” published today by the Military Institute of Medicine, Rynek Zdrowia, and WNP Economic Trends.
The report’s authors indicate that the healthcare system in Poland faces the challenge of building a resilient, flexible, and integrated management model that will function effectively both in peacetime and during crises. They emphasize that integrating civilian and military resources, clear division of roles, personnel competency development, and the implementation of modern technologies and procedures are of key importance.
Lack of doctors and resources
“One of the biggest problems of the Polish healthcare system is the lack of qualified medical personnel – felt both by patients and facility managers. In addition to the overall decline in the number of specialists, a serious challenge is their uneven distribution across the country. In some regions, shortages are particularly severe, which hinders access to care and can lead to staffing difficulties in crisis situations or mass-casualty events.” the report reads.
The report shows that the military has 829 medical posts available out of 1,419 planned, which accounts for about 58% of staffing.
Poland has 2.4 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants and 5.2 nurses, placing it below the EU average (3.9 doctors and 8.3 nurses). The military employs about 1,800 medical service personnel, including fewer than 500 doctors trained for operations under military or health crises. Staffing shortages are particularly severe in emergency medicine and infectious diseases – for example, over 30% of positions in infectious disease wards remain unfilled.
Poland has 1,193 hospitals (including about 300 public entities of strategic importance) – yet only 8% of them have full facilities to operate under CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear) threat conditions. Only five voivodeships have hospitals with a fully functioning decontamination and epidemiological isolation system.
Drugs mainly from Asia
The report also highlights drug shortages.
Over 70% of active substances used in drug production in Europe are supplied by China and India. For certain therapeutic groups, this dependence reaches 90%. More than 80% of active substances used in drug production in Poland are imported, mainly from Asia. Domestic production covers only 30-40% of national demand for medicines, while for drugs on the so-called critical list (i.e., essential in public health emergencies), self-sufficiency is below 20%. “In 2023, 80 of the 200 most frequently prescribed drugs in Poland contained APIs sourced exclusively from outside Europe, posing a significant risk of supply chain disruption in the event of a geopolitical or health crisis.”
During the COVID-19 crisis, only 37% of hospitals had drug and personal protective equipment reserves for more than 14 days of operation (NATO standard: 30 days).
“The military and healthcare services must share personnel, logistics, and infrastructure during war or a pandemic. Currently, there are no joint procedures or exercises. The pharmaceutical industry must have access to state reserves and logistical support to increase the production of critical drugs if necessary. Society (including medical volunteers, humanitarian organizations, pharmacists) constitutes the last but crucial element of the resilience network – its role was strongly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.” – emphasize the report authors.