Healthcare Resiliency is the New National Security
By: Justin Iannacone
As countries around the world race to vaccinate their populations, it is clear that fighting COVID-19 will remain a major challenge in the coming months and years. With the pandemic dragging on, the underlying issue of procuring medical resources to fight COVID-19 and the next health crisis have come to the fore as a pressing national security issue.
In the United States, one of President Biden’s first actions in office was to issue an executive order to immediately procure medical supplies and create a “Pandemic Supply Chain Resilience Strategy” that directs the private sector and government agencies to redesign supply chains with decreased reliance on other countries. German leaders have considered similar tactics, with the country’s foreign intelligence agency warning about the widespread security risks of dependence on imported medical supplies. Likewise, Canada, France and over a dozen other countries implemented export bans and centralized access to key medical supplies to ensure they can meet internal demand.
Business leaders in healthcare should evaluate how their equipment production and purchasing may be impacted by national security concerns post-COVID. Nations around the world are pivoting to building domestic supply chains as part of an evolving view of national security that broadly encompasses global trade relations. Within this context, healthcare providers should carefully review their existing procurement and supply chain providers with the knowledge that governments could mandate swift changes that impact existing relationships and international business opportunities.