MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command on the course for further success

With Spain and Poland, another two nations have joined the Multinational Medical Coordination Centre / European Medical Command (MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command) in the last two weeks. Since the declaration of initial operational capability (IOCInitial Operational Capability) in September 2019, the number of participating nations has increased from 14 to 18. The professional backbone of MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command's expertise are experts from all 18 nations.

Zoom

For the first time, representatives from Spain and Poland will participate in the next Steering Group Meeting in September. During this meeting, which - depending on the course of the COVID-19Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic - can also be held as video conference, working results of MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command, as for instance the common Medical Situational Awareness Concept, will be harmonised with the nations.

According to Brigadier Dr Stefan Kowitz, Director MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command, an important goal of the meeting will be to achieve even better coordination between the medical services participating in MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command in order to work together in the fight against future pandemics.

In recent months, MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command has excelled at the international level with various support services provided in the context of the current COVID-19Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic. Furthermore, MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command has lead responsibility for two projects under the German EU Council Presidency.

Resilient Response 2020

For the war game "Resilient Response 2020", a military tabletop exercise, MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command cooperates with the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE) and the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance. From 24 to 26 November 2020, the agencies will train together how several countries can collectively respond to a pandemic threat when simultaneously also other threats (e.g. ITInformationstechnik, cyber, and infrastructure) can occur. In this context, the intention is to integrate into the exercise first observations and experience from the first wave of the COVID-19Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic. MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command' expertise in medical tabletop exercises is further enhanced in cooperation with multinational partners. However, the accomplishments of MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command do not only show in exercises.

Stockpiling of medical materiel

The current COVID-19Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic has shown that stockpiling medical materiel and supplies increases the response capability and resilience of civilian and military health care systems. Under the 2020 German EU Council Presidency, the Bundeswehr Medical Service in cooperation with MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command will develop modular medical materiel packages to be stockpiled for employment during outbreaks of infectious pathogens and epidemics. This concept is also known as "Military Modular Multipurpose Epidemic/Pandemic Stockpiling". Within the scope of resupply, hence, rapid materiel support of military medical facilities in theatre, in particular for EU Battle Group II/2020, can be ensured. In a subsequent step, the different modular, rapidly usable standard packages shall be further harmonised with the MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command nations.

In line with Germany's role as Framework Nation for MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command, the Bundeswehr Medical Service will demonstrate - in coordination with the 17 MMCCMultinational Medical Coordination Centre/EMCEuropean Medical Command partner nations - that we have the capability to act jointly.