Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo

The Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo (Bosnian: Klinički centar Univerziteta u Sarajevu, KCUS or Bosnian: Univerzitetski klinički centar Sarajevo, UKCS), often known as Koševo Hospital (Bosnian: Bolnica "Koševo"), is the largest public hospital and primary medical center in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in Sarajevo. Established in 1894 as the State Hospital (Zemaljska bolnica), it serves as the primary teaching base for the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sarajevo. The center is organized across multiple sites (Koševo, Jezero, Podhrastovi) and comprises 37 clinics. During the Siege of Sarajevo, the hospital was a primary target but remained operational, becoming a center for war surgery. In the post-war era, particularly from 2016 to 2023, it became the subject of significant political and public controversy regarding its management, finances, and role during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Clinical Center was established in 1894 as the State Hospital (Zemaljska bolnica). It was designed based on the model of the University Hospital in Vienna, following all modern European standards of the time, and was one of the most modern hospitals in Europe upon construction. The need to educate local medical staff led to the eventual establishment of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sarajevo, for which the hospital serves as the teaching base.

During the Siege of Sarajevo, the KCUS (then known as KBC - Clinical-Hospital Center) was systematically targeted by the Army of Republika Srpska. Despite clear Red Cross markings, 350 grenades and other explosive devices struck the Center. Five patients were killed in direct attacks, and 51 employees were killed either at work or elsewhere in the city during the war. The estimated material damage was 38 million euros. The Clinics for Gynecology and Obstetrics and for Pediatrics (at the Jezero site), along with the Institute for Physical Medicine, were completely destroyed, while the Institute for Vascular Diseases was severely damaged. Beyond being a target, the hospital became a global symbol of resistance and a hub for the development of war surgery. Medical staff worked in basement operating theaters, contending with mass-casualty events and a total lack of electricity, water, and supplies, forcing them to innovate surgical and treatment protocols.

KCUS is a complex system organized across four primary sites in Sarajevo:

Koševo Campus: The main and largest site, holding the majority of clinics, the Central Medical Block (CMB), the Diagnostics and Polyclinic (DIP) building, and the center's administration. Jezero Campus: Houses the Clinics for Pediatrics (1 and 2), Gynecology, and Obstetrics. Podhrastovi Campus: Houses the Clinic for Pulmonology and Tuberculosis. Čekaluša Site: Houses the Clinic for Vascular Diseases. Construction on the 15-story Central Medical Block (CMB) and the DIP buildings began in 1996. The CMB building now houses key departments, including the Clinic for Radiology, Clinic for Oncology, Clinic for Cardiac Surgery, and the Central Operating Block. In March 2024, after decades of delays, a "warm tunnel" was completed, physically connecting the CMB with the Clinic for General and Abdominal Surgery.

Hospital data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).