Seventy years since the establishment of the Skopje Military Hospital, 1944-2014.

AIM To present the phases and activities over the period of the existence and work of the Military Hospital in Skopje, from its establishment in 1944 to its transformation on 01.01.2010. METHODS A retrospective study based on available archive materials, encyclopaedias and other sources of information and review of the relevant literature, and personal experiences, observations and memories of the authors and others. RESULTS During the War of 1941-1945, the larger military units formed hospitals. On 15.11.1944, the hospital of the Headquarters of the People's Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Macedonia was moved from the village Gorno Vranovci to Skopje. The Military Hospital in Skopje received the status of permanent hospital of the 5th Army, and from 1945-1963 worked at the "Crescent" facility. After the earthquake in 1963, due to damage, it was partly moved to the hospital in Nish, and partly dispersed in pavilions. In 1971 a new military medical complex was put into operation, in which most belonged to the Military Hospital in Skopje. Until 1992 the military sanitation service was under the command of the then Yugoslav People's Army, and then was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence of R. Macedonia. From 10.04.1992 to 2.06.1992 it served as a Military Hospital of the Army of R. Macedonia and then as the "Centre of Military Health Institutions" until 26.10.2001. Then it was renamed the Military Hospital of the Army of R. Macedonia until March 2008, when converted to the Ministry of Defence as "Military Health Service--Military Hospital". On 01.01.2010 the Military Hospital was reshaped into: PHI Eighth of September City General Hospital, Skopje, and the Military Medical Centre. CONCLUSION The Military Hospital in Skopje over the period of its existence has been one of the key specialist-consultative and hospital facilities in the health system in R. Macedonia for providing health care to military beneficiaries and the civilian population.