R. Karpičiūtė: Healthy Citizens Are the Next Pillar of National Security and Stability

Traditionally, when we think of securing the well-being of our nation, we often think of a strong focus on the defence sector. Of course, a nation’s defence is the most important thing, ensuring the safety and security of its citizens. However, is our traditional understanding of what security really is correct?

Health, which used to be seen mainly in terms of personal well-being, is increasingly recognised as a crucial component of national security and stability. Investing in health systems is not only about providing medical care for the sick, but also about strengthening the very foundations of our society. A strong health system is like a firewall against pandemics, biological threats and the numerous challenges that threaten our global well-being.

Investing in health systems also brings significant economic benefits. Healthy populations are more productive, which leads to economic growth and prosperity. Conversely, neglecting health infrastructure can be very damaging, through lost productivity, higher healthcare costs and lower human capital.

Ideally, priority should be given to investment in health systems, combined with defence spending, thus recognising the complementarity of the two sectors and ensuring overall public security. Integrating health investments into the overall national security investment framework recognises that a state’s stability depends as much on its ability to prevent health crises as it does on managing military threats.

Public-private partnerships are important

It is important to note that public-private partnerships in healthcare can be comparable in importance to defence partnerships. These partnerships contribute to the resilience and sustainability of our health systems. Private sector partnerships often bring innovation, efficiency and management expertise that can significantly improve the delivery of health services. By partnering with private entities, public health systems can benefit from these efficiencies, resulting in more effective and timely delivery of health services.

Public-private partnerships can also mobilise additional financial resources for health care that may not be available when relying on public funding alone. Public-private cooperation in health can therefore help to fill financing gaps, especially in resource-constrained environments, and ensure continued investment in health infrastructure and services.

The biggest influence is the redirection of public investment

The defence sector benefits from long-term strategic planning and preparations. Similar principles can be applied to health systems to effectively predict and reduce emerging health threats.

Investing in healthcare is not only a tool for economic growth, it is also an important factor in ensuring sustainable development. For example, in 2023, cardiovascular diseases were 52% of all causes of death in Lithuania, and oncological diseases 21%. Regional differences are very clear: in rural, non-urban municipalities, mortality from cardiovascular diseases is 37% higher than in urban areas.

The economic losses are also worrying, as cardiovascular diseases cost Lithuania 2.5% of GDP annually, compared to an EU average of 2%. Priority public investment in healthcare would not only reduce the economic losses, but could also catalyse GDP growth by at least 0.5%.

It is disappointing that Lithuania chooses to devote one of the lowest percentages of investment in the EU to the health sector. A study published this year of 38 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries, looking at data from 1996 to 2020, confirmed the results of previous studies: there is a statistically significant relationship between national health spending and a key health outcome – life expectancy.

National security is multidimensional, encompassing not only military threats but also health threats. The health sector is not only a spending but also an investment – an investment in our country’s resilience, prosperity and security.

Prepared by Rūta Karpičiūtė, Partner at Ellex Valiunas