LUXEMBOURG – On 22 November 2022, national representatives from Canada, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Norway gathered at the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) Headquarters in Luxembourg to take part in the first meeting of the Medical Support Partnership.
Through the Support Partnership mechanism,
the six Allies
will jointly source medical support and services, leveraging NSPA's existing medical support capabilities gained from various operational activities over the years.
NSPA has provided a medical support capability since 2007. Back then, the activity focused on the design and development of hospital constructions for the deployed forces in Kandahar and Kabul, Afghanistan. As the requirements grew and Nations became more aware of the potential to source medical support through the Agency, the activities increased to encompass not only planning, but also complex medical equipment, and services.
NSPA's medical activity grew exponentially during the COVID-19 crisis. The Agency played a key role supporting Allies and Partners in tackling the pandemic through the supply and transport of key relief medical supplies and equipment; the delivery of rapidly accessible infrastructure to augment national medical capabilities; or the establishment of testing laboratories in operational threats to control the outbreak.
The Medical Support Partnership was thus created, retroactively on 1 July 2022, to prepare for other similar crisis that NATO and Allies might face in the future and that are of direct concern to the medical community. Founded by six Allies, the Support Partnership becomes the major player concerning the medical requirements, saving crucial time and concentrating resources and instruments to be more efficient, effective and responsive in the event of a crisis.