More than 300 military and industry medical professionals from twenty NATO and allied partner countries attended the two-day event which focused on the challenges of deployed medical care. This year’s symposium featured in-depth discussions on the NATO Medical Action Plan, addressing key areas such as regulatory frameworks, mass casualty planning, patient evacuation, and medical logistics. VIEW ORIGINAL
LONDON – U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Roger Giraud, commander of Medical Readiness Command, Europe, and command surgeon for U.S. Army Europe and Africa emphasized the importance of collective medical readiness during the 2026 Deployed Medical & Healthcare Delivery (DMHD) symposium in London on March 24-25.
More than 300 military and industry medical professionals from twenty NATO and allied partner countries attended the two-day event which focused on the challenges of deployed medical care.
This year’s symposium featured in-depth discussions on the NATO Medical Action Plan, addressing key areas such as regulatory frameworks, mass casualty planning, patient evacuation, and medical logistics.
"Collectively, our intent is to gain a better understanding of the requirements of a changing modern battlefield and enable the integration of health service plans across NATO,” said Giraud. “By taking part in this event, we were able to hear case studies from the frontlines of current conflicts and gain a deeper understanding of how combat medicine is being adapted for the current operating environment.”
According to event planners, ongoing armed conflicts and a changing global security environment necessitate a joint medical response in wartime. Consequently, NATO nations and their allies are working toward collective medical readiness across the civilian, military, government, and commercial sectors.
“This event provided a unique opportunity for attendees to expand their network and build relationships across the international military medical community, including NATO partners and allied nations,” Giraud added. “It also allowed military medical personnel to engage with their counterparts on health services planning considerations in wartime and ensuring we have integrated plans that meet the needs of a mass casualty scenario.”
The two-day symposium aimed to foster this collaboration by providing a forum for medical personnel to engage in the "whole of society" approach called for in the NATO Medical Action Plan.
“Together, our collective medical capabilities are strong and will enable us to respond more effectively to crisis or conflict, provide critical care to those in need, and demonstrate our commitment to the well-being of our military forces and civilian populations alike,” said Giraud.
A senior NATO military medical official stated that the symposium’s goal was to bring together senior representatives from the military, government, and industry to advance the NATO plan.
“By staying engaged and through continued collaboration, we will ensure that our allied military medical readiness remains a cornerstone of global deterrence and our collective security, allowing us to meet any challenge, now and in the future,” Giraud concluded.
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