Public Health as a Security Strategy: A Critique of Three Seminal Books on Nuclear Threats amid Escalating Global Crises

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 21 Sayı: 50, 131 - 139, 23.04.2025

Verda Tunalıgil

https://doi.org/10.17752/guvenlikstrtj.1597629

Öz

A strong public health strategic plan, designed with care, rigor, and accountability, is key to sustaining the survival of local and global populations. A well-crafted roadmap in population health boosts resilience and enhances the ability to respond to emerging threats. As nuclear risks grow, the need for more robust approaches to managing chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats becomes critical. This situation poses significant challenges for both military and civilian medical personnel, who must be prepared to manage casualties resulting from CBRN-related incidents such as warfare, conflicts, terrorism, and assassinations. Public health and medical practices focus on identifying CBRN agents, directing rescue operations, handling the victims, and applying decontamination and hazard management protocols. This effort includes materials, dirty bombs, and radiological dispersal devices.1 Nuclear war is a major global risk, though not necessarily existential. Outcomes like nuclear winter or electromagnetic pulses remain uncertain. Risk assessments differ, and while current knowledge is important for management strategies, narrow methodologies may overlook the full impact of measures like reducing nuclear arsenals. Multidisciplinary research is decisive for gaining a deeper understanding of and managing the risks.

Anahtar Kelimeler

public health emergencies, disaster and emergency medical services (DEMS), chemical biological radiological nuclear explosives (CBRNe), complex humanitarian emergencies, weapons of mass destruction (WMD), mass casualty incident (MCI), global health security, community resilience, international health strategies

Etik Beyan

N/A

Kaynakça

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