Ukraine is carrying out a historic restoration of the Jewish Hospital in Odessa, one of the oldest medical institutions in Eastern Europe, founded over 200 years ago.
The work is focusing on the early 20th-century surgical building, designed by architect Tropyansky in 1900 and declared a listed building. The project is being implemented as part of Ukraine’s reconstruction program with the assistance of the European Investment Bank.
The restoration includes reinforcing buildings at risk of collapse, replacing floors, repairing the roof and restoring the facade. In the next stages, modern medical equipment will be installed, a central heating system will be established and accessibility for the disabled will be restored. The restored building will include a rehabilitation department with physiotherapy units.
The hospital was founded in 1800, when about 240 Jews lived in the city, as a small institution with only six beds. In 1829, the community moved the hospital to its current building. By 1894, the institution had grown to 230 beds and was open to all those in need, regardless of religion or nationality.
A defining moment in the history of the hospital occurred during the pogroms of 1905. A huge tent camp was set up in the courtyard of the institution, providing aid to some 50,000 victims. Even in difficult conditions, under pressure from the authorities and financial difficulties, the hospital continued to function.
In 1922, during the Soviet period, the name was changed to the "Soviet People's Hospital" and conditions deteriorated: lack of staff, overcrowding, and the flight of specialists. Private donations were stopped.
Only in the 1970s did a recovery phase begin. The historical name was restored, new departments in endocrinology, neurology, and traumatology were opened, and the institution returned to a central position in the regional health system.
Today, the hospital admits about 17,000 patients a year and treats an additional 35,000. The restoration work, which began in 2018, is designed to improve conditions for patients and staff while preserving Odessa's historical memory.