Hospital services in Gozo at the time of the Knights

Abstract

In the main town of Gozo, then known as Rabat, Grand Master De Vilhena, who had built so much for the Order and for Malta, saw to the erection of the hospital at St. Francis's Square, providing it with its two main large entrances leading to the male and female sections. Grand Master De Vilhena donated about 1,000 "scudi" to have the works completed. The hospital began to be used for men patients in June 1728, but soon became fully operative for both sexes as from St. John's Day 1729. This Gozo hospital is now mostly referred to as "Victoria Hospital", while its Geriatric or so-called Incurable section situated at the lower-level apartments, is usually called “St. John the Baptist Hospital" in memory of the Order.