Owing to an acute shortage of food and the dissolution of certain welfare services, in 1943 there was no regulated patient-care system in the ghetto. Factories and departments organized self-help services and created the so-called Nursing Committees. From the workforce, or official staff, delegates to the committees were chosen to be responsible for medical care and prophylaxis. In many departments, the committees’ work was exemplary. Resources were allocated in the following way: all staff members committed themselves to deliver a fraction of flour and sugar from their rations (mainly 1 dekagram). Money was collected. In many departments, a regular taxation was introduced. Additionally, Chairman Rumkowski donated money, sometimes also food, and Marek Kliger [(vide)] (Sonderabteilung) [(vide)] food. In 1943, the committees organized raffles in order to raise financial resources. Various departments submitted items from their production. Afterwards the money was used to purchase injections and medications, particularly highly desired vigantol. The committees paid high prices, and therefore the medicaments went up in price. Apart from this, the committees designated people in turns to take care of persons in need of nursing care. Soup and food rations were also delivered to bedridden patients.

At many departments, workers refused to cooperate with the management of the committees. In such cases, the management delegated the entirety of organizational tasks to the workers, trying only to collect food, etc., and vice versa – taking all responsibility for the activity of the committee.

Oskar Singer