How is healthcare prepared for war? "This motivates us to act"

• On the night of September 9-10, 19 violations of Polish airspace by Russian drones were detected.
• This motivates us to take intensive action, emphasized the Minister of Health, Jolanta Sobierańska-Grenda.
• In an interview with PAP, she assured that the Ministry of Health has developed programs related to the efficient evacuation and protection of patients.
• She reminded that the main tasks related to defense rest with the voivodes and are based on cooperation with local governments and medical entities in the field.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Wednesday that 19 violations of Polish airspace by Russian drones were detected during the night of September 9-10. At an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers, he assigned tasks to individual ministers.

Health Minister Jolanta Sobierańska-Grenda told the Polish Press Agency on Thursday that a meeting of the crisis management team was held at the Ministry of Health in connection with these events.

"The events of Tuesday night compel us all to review what we can improve and to continually assess our preparedness," she said. She emphasized that her ministry has developed programs related to efficient evacuation and patient protection.

- Let us remember, however, that the main tasks related to defense, in accordance with the regulation of 2023, rest with the voivodes and are based on cooperation with local governments and medical entities in the field - noted Jolanta Sobierańska-Grenda.

She added that the ministry is working closely with the Ministry of National Defense to prepare medical facilities. "Yesterday's results motivate us to further intensify our efforts, in ongoing cooperation with the Ministry of National Defense," she added.

The Government's Population Protection and Civil Defense Program for 2025-2026 includes the construction of a network of hospital landing pads capable of accommodating military aircraft, as well as police, Border Guard, and Air Rescue helicopters. Hospitals will implement software to manage medical information and the flow of the injured, sick, and paralyzed. Hospital infrastructure will be adapted to accommodate an increased number of vehicles, including buses.

The Polish Airspace Operational Command (DORSZ) officially reported for the first time that Polish airspace had been repeatedly violated before 4 a.m. on Wednesday. Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasized during an emergency government meeting that procedures related to the violation of Polish airspace were in place and that the drones that posed a direct threat were shot down.

After 10 a.m., Tusk presented the information to the Sejm. He said that the first violation of Polish airspace was recorded around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, and the last around 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday. He reported that 19 violations had been counted, though he cautioned that these figures were not final. The Prime Minister also announced that many of the drones that violated Polish airspace had flown directly from Belarus.

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