Italian Hospital in Haifa

The Italian Hospital in Haifa (Italian: Ospedale Italiano, Hebrew: בית החולים האיטלקי בחיפה‎) is a medical center administered by the National Association for Assistance to Italian Missionaries (ANSMI). Inaugurated at the current location in 1932-33,[1][2] the hospital is run by the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,[3] who are providing the nursing staff which is also residing in the hospital.[4] The hospital contains over 100 beds.[1]

The Italian Hospital in Haifa.

Capacity and departments

The hospital is run by Franciscan nuns.[5] In 2007 the hospital had over a hundred beds, tended by 85 employed staff, ten of which are were nuns.[1]

The Italian Hospital has four departments: oncology, general medicine, surgery and orthopedic rehabilitation.[5] The oncology department is acting as a subsidiary of the Rambam Hospital[1] and has underwent a major technological upgrade in 2016, when a complete oncological radiation treatment center was installed, consisting in a CT simulator, a cobalt radiation therapy room and sophisticated software for accurate results. The center replaced the old analog system with a new modern digital system.[6]

Building

The four-story building was designed by the Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi.[4][1]

History

The hospital was founded in 1907 as the Italian Surgical Hospital, the name reflecting its main activity.[1] It was the only medical center in northern Palestine and employed Italian, Jewish and Arab surgeons.[1]

The staff moved into the current building in 1932[1] or 1933.[2] From the beginning, the hospital was administered by the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Egypt, as they were called at the time.[1]

The Italian Hospital ceased to function as such during the First and Second World Wars, as Italy was an enemy of the empires ruling Palestine during both conflicts, and again after the State of Israel was established in 1948, when the Israeli Army (IDF) used it as a military hospital.[1] In 1951 Israel returned it to Italian hands.[1]

The oncology department was founded in 1950 and its cobalt therapy device was the first in northern Israel.[1] Ten years later, for professional reasons, the department subordinated its activity to Haifa's main teaching hospital, Rambam.[1]

References
  1. Kraj, Jerzy (30 July 2007). "Haifa, l'Ospedale italiano compie cent'anni [Haifa, the Italian Hospital turns 100]". Eco di Terrasanta (magazine) (in Italian). Milan: Edizioni Terra Santa – Fondazione Terra Santa. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  2. Della Seta, Simonetta (2005). "Italy in Israel: The Relationship throughout History" (PDF). The Embassy of Italy in Israel. p. 7. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  3. "Catholic Hospitals in the Holy Land | Pope Francis in the Holy Land 2014". popefrancisholyland2014.lpj.org. Archived from the original on 2019-04-01. Retrieved 2017-12-17.
  4. "Ospedale Italiano (בית חולים איטלקי)". Himetop. Retrieved 2017-12-17.
  5. "Franciscan Sisters of Haifa: witness and aid to those who suffer". cmc-terrasanta.org. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  6. "Italian Hospital". Lavi-Medtech. Archived from the original on 2018-09-27. Retrieved 2017-12-17.

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