Žilina Gallery :: Fotogaléria mesta Žiliny

104 – District sickness insurance agency

Turistická informačná tabuľka č. 104 s QR kódom na budove Okresnej nemocenskej poisťovne v Žiline
(Foto: 14. 3. 2014)

Originally a three floor building of the Sickness Insurance Agency known by Žilina inhabitants as “Polyclinics at Bratislavská” or simply the “sickness” was built in 1923 - 1924 by Žilina District Workers’ Insurance Agency, which was established in 1907. Workers in Žilina were insured from 1891. The name “Polyclinics at Bratislavská” is derived from the fact that in the past the main road to Bratislava used to lead there. The structure was designed by architect Eugen Bárta and it was performed by the well-known firm Karol Grün and son from Žilina.
Physicians started to operate in the building on 23 October 1924. The building was offering good conditions for 11 physicians, as well as for a pulmonary department, otorhinolaryngology (study of ear, nose and throat), a dermal department, stomatology (oral medicine), internal and surgery departments. It was called the DISTRICT SICKNESS INSURANCE AGENCY in that period. A laboratory and bath tub spa were also in the building, as well as administration departments of the insurance agency. Before, Žilina only had specialised eye medical care and so the insurance agency was offering a variety of services for inhabitants of the town and for people from wide neighbourhood as well.
The Workers’ Social Insurance Agency was established in November 1940; it took over the building and reconstructed it in 1941. After the Second World War the building was acquired by the Central Social Insurance Agency and after February 1948 by the National Insurance Agency. Health services were provided by so-called official physicians for workers, officers and other employees. After 1951, pension and sickness insurance separated and the building was acquired by the Ministry of Health that established polyclinics with the official name Polyclinics I. Later Polyclinics II was established directly in the hospital area. And therefore Polyclinics I was also called “the old Polyclinics”.
In the 70’s of the previous century, Polyclinics I was providing health care for several town boroughs, local health centres in adjacent villages, in occupational health administration units and in occupational medical stations. These specialised services were included: general medicine, paediatrics, stomatology, internal medicine, dermatology, gynaecology, neurology and psychiatry, bio-chemistry, radio-diagnostics and rehabilitation. Besides, the polyclinics had a Detention Sobering-up Station also called a “drunk tank” on a ground floor of the building with a separate entrance from Jánošíkova Street. The sobering-up station was closed later and the Centre for Treatment of Drug Addictions started to operate on the premises. An independent Polyclinics Žilina – town was established in 1991.
The non-state polyclinics-like facility KRANKAS s. r. o. acquired the building in 2000 and in 2003 started a huge reconstruction of the interior premises and modification of attic premises. Thus the fourth floor was created.

Source: Mgr. Peter Štanský a doc. Ing. Novák Milan, PhD. Text prevzatý z webovej stránky TIK Žilina (kliknite): www.tikzilina.eu.