A central hospital was created in the Vrchlabí Barracks during the times of the ghetto.

The medics and doctors workíng there were prisoners of the ghetto. Their work was complicated by frequent electricity cuts, lack of water and medicaments, as well as absence of specialized medical tools. The central bathroom, with a capacity of 140 people to take shower in an hour, was situated in the same building - but due to the lack of water it was very often out of use.

Massive overcrowding in the ghetto, unsuitable and insufficient hygiene facilities, poor nutrition, stress and exhaustion, all of those gave ground to ideal conditions for the spread of various infectious diseases. For instance, in February 1943, each third prisoner was recorded as being sick. Spread of diseases had direct impact on high mortality.

There would have been many more deaths in the Terezín ghetto if not for the medical care system organized by the prisoners themselves. Even some very complicated operations were performed by the doctors and nurses under these difficult conditions.