Analysis of Health Security Conditions in the Western Balkans

Health security is an integral part of national security, which has become increasingly important in recent years. It is a concept that implies the application of various measures and procedures in order to prevent or mitigate public health emergences and ensure the health of the population. The purpose of this chapter is to evaluate the level of Western Balkans capacities and capabilities to prevent, detect, and quickly respond to public health emergencies. The aim is to identify critical factors for improving the health security conditions of each country in the Western Balkans. The analysis is based on the methodology for measuring the Global Health Security Index, applied by the Nuclear Threat Initiative and the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. The research is conducted through a comparative analysis and a benchmarking method. The conclusions indicate a low level of health security conditions in the Western Balkans compared to the selected European countries.