External threats to Poland’s health security

Since the United Nations Security Council’s declaration that a disease outbreak may be considered a threat to the stability and security of state, the widespread use of the term “health security” has begun. This paper presents the concept of health security along with its threats, with particular focus on the new phenomena related to globalisation which contribute to the occurrence of new health threats. The threats to Poland’s health security are divided into internal and external. Internal ones may occur when the authorities do not meet the health needs of society. However, policymakers from industrialized countries put emphasis on protecting the population from external health security threats, especially from those that may become cross-border threats