The Department of Health was established on October 16, 1939. It had its offices in the hospital at Łagiewnicka Street 34/36. Thanks to the great commitment of its directors (Dawid Helman, Leon Szykier and Wiktor Miller), an efficient medical care system was organized.
In mid-1942, there were 7 hospitals in the ghetto, including the ones at Drewnowska Street 75/77, Łagiewnicka Street 34/36, Mickiewicza Street 7, and Wesoła Street 12 and 17, employing more than 120 physicians. Jewish health services assisted tens of thousands people in need, often risking their own lives, fighting the spreading epidemics (typhoid, dysentery), provided medical assistance to the Roma in the closed Gypsy Camp, and Polish children from the camp on Przemysłowa Street. These hospitals were closed in September 1942 and patients were deported and murdered in the extermination camp at Chełmno on the Ner (Kulmhof am Ner).
“The ghetto is suffering from the lack of vaccinations of any kind. Some preparations cannot be purchased for any price, others, which came in limited quantities – are only available through special connections. It was under such circumstances that an even occurred, which in other times would be unthinkable. One of the most renowned nurses boasted in front of her patient that this time he would not feel the injection. Indeed, the >>procedure<< went very quickly, but then there was no usual response. Later, the entire event seemed suspicious to the patient, who he remembered that the ampoule top was not cut off and he did not find the empty ampoule as usual. Eventually, he came to believe that the nurse was tempted to take the costly preparation and injected him with water.”
Chronicle of the Łódź Ghetto
In the ghetto, there were seven pharmacies and two ambulance stations.