Health Ministers of the Baltic States Agree to Prepare Together for Threats 0 14

The declaration provides for deepening cooperation between Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia in the areas of health security, crisis preparedness, and civil-military coordination. The declaration was signed at the "Resilient Medicine 2026" forum by Health Minister Hosam Abu Meri, Lithuanian Health Minister Maria Jakubauskiene, and Estonian Minister of Social Affairs Carmen Joller.

In the declaration, the Baltic states agree to improve regional information exchange, enhance resilience to disinformation and information influence operations, conduct joint practical exercises and simulations to strengthen interoperability, and promote the exchange of experiences between civil and military medical professionals.

The Ministry of Health explains that from Latvia's perspective, medical interoperability in the Baltic states means coordinated work of health systems that can ensure continuity of healthcare in the face of various threats. The Latvian side believes that the Baltic states have the potential to achieve a high level of interoperability by strengthening the resilience of the healthcare sector, deepening civil-military cooperation, and establishing healthcare as an element of national defense and overall resilience.

At the "Resilient Medicine 2026" forum on Tuesday and Wednesday in Vilnius, politicians, healthcare professionals, security experts, and international partners are meeting. The forum conducts an in-depth analysis of the experiences of Ukraine and Israel in crisis management.

The forum's agenda today and tomorrow includes discussions on hospital resilience, critical medical logistics, continuity of blood component supply, mechanisms for supporting international organizations, and health security as a common regional priority.

Particular attention is given to the experience of Ukraine and the functioning of the healthcare system in identifying critical vulnerabilities and resilience factors, as well as measures for hospital adaptation from immediate response to medium- and long-term solutions.

The Ministry of Health notes that in recent years, the Baltic states have significantly strengthened mutual cooperation in health security and emergency preparedness. At the same time, considering the geopolitical situation, healthcare capabilities, and growing security risks, the declaration emphasizes the need for targeted development of coordinated solutions in several strategically important areas.

As reported, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania signed a memorandum of cooperation and mutual assistance in managing health-related crises in 2024, and in 2025, a memorandum of cooperation in providing blood and its components, equipment, and materials. Additionally, in 2024, a Baltic high-level working group was established to ensure the availability of critically important medicines.