The article deals with the reasons for the deterioration of health of the population of Dagestan during the Great Patriotic War. The author researches the work of the central and local health care organizationsin prevention of various diseases and epidemics among the indigenous and the evacuated population, explains the reasons for infectious diseases in the republic. The characteristics of the condition of the material base of medicine in Dagestan cities and districts in the period under reviewis given in the article. The major threats and challenges that the staff of the epidemiological and medicalpreventive institutions of Dagestan face in the wartime are under consideration.