“Our priority is the development of military medicine,” Tomczyk said during the opening of a new neurosurgery ward at the Military Hospital in Lublin. The facility, key to NATO's eastern flank, recently underwent a major expansion co-funded by the Defense Ministry with a grant of around PLN 150 million (EUR 35 million).
Tomczyk emphasized that the hospital plays a vital role in supporting troops and missions on Polish soil and abroad. He noted that an additional PLN 50 million (EUR 12 million) has recently been invested in equipment.
The deputy minister also highlighted broader military health initiatives, including the creation of Military Medical Services, a Medical Legion, and the “Hospitals Friendly to the Armed Forces” program.
He confirmed that a legislative proposal to reestablish the Military Medical Academy is ready and will be submitted soon to the Council of Ministers. The academy would build on existing partnerships with the Medical University of Łódź while strengthening the military’s future medical capabilities.
A planned medical center in Lublin will train both military and civilian doctors.
“Lessons from the war in Ukraine show the state must prepare for all scenarios,” Tomczyk said, stressing the need to prepare medical personnel for conditions like gunshot wounds, rarely encountered in peacetime hospitals.
Asked about possible underground hospital networks, Tomczyk declined to discuss classified plans but acknowledged the strategic advantage of subterranean facilities during crises.
The government, he added, is allocating another PLN 5 billion (EUR 1.2 billion) next year for civil defense infrastructure, including dual-use shelters that can function as surgical suites during wartime.
The Lublin Military Hospital now hosts both cardiology and neurosurgery departments in its expanded wing. With 300 beds across multiple specialties, the hospital serves over 13,000 inpatients and 66,000 outpatient visits annually and is open to all residents of the Lublin region.
(jh)
Source: PAP