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The Expansion of Colonial State Healthcare in Twentieth Century British Africa

Bolt, Jutta LU and Cilliers, Jeanne LU (2024) In Medical History
Abstract
We chart and assess the scope and utilisation of government-provided hospital infrastructure in British Africa, c. 1900-1960. Using various archival sources, we examine the heterogeneity in colonial administrations’ investment into curative healthcare provision across various regions of British Africa. Our research highlights significant disparities in healthcare provision during the colonial period. These disparities were shaped by a range of observable factors, including differences in colonial policies, budgets, investment priorities, and the availability of medical personnel. We test stylised facts about public goods provision derived from previous literature and highlight the importance of understanding the historical context in... (More)
We chart and assess the scope and utilisation of government-provided hospital infrastructure in British Africa, c. 1900-1960. Using various archival sources, we examine the heterogeneity in colonial administrations’ investment into curative healthcare provision across various regions of British Africa. Our research highlights significant disparities in healthcare provision during the colonial period. These disparities were shaped by a range of observable factors, including differences in colonial policies, budgets, investment priorities, and the availability of medical personnel. We test stylised facts about public goods provision derived from previous literature and highlight the importance of understanding the historical context in shaping healthcare systems in Africa today. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
in press
subject
keywords
Public health care, Colonial Africa, public goods, Health investments
in
Medical History
publisher
Cambridge University Press
ISSN
2048-8343
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
30ba607e-bf2c-4fa2-8339-8ab56f565e7d
date added to LUP
2024-09-03 14:33:33
date last changed
2024-09-04 09:55:52
@article{30ba607e-bf2c-4fa2-8339-8ab56f565e7d,
  abstract     = {{We chart and assess the scope and utilisation of government-provided hospital infrastructure in British Africa, c. 1900-1960. Using various archival sources, we examine the heterogeneity in colonial administrations’ investment into curative healthcare provision across various regions of British Africa. Our research highlights significant disparities in healthcare provision during the colonial period. These disparities were shaped by a range of observable factors, including differences in colonial policies, budgets, investment priorities, and the availability of medical personnel. We test stylised facts about public goods provision derived from previous literature and highlight the importance of understanding the historical context in shaping healthcare systems in Africa today.}},
  author       = {{Bolt, Jutta and Cilliers, Jeanne}},
  issn         = {{2048-8343}},
  keywords     = {{Public health care; Colonial Africa; public goods; Health investments}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{Medical History}},
  title        = {{The Expansion of Colonial State Healthcare in Twentieth Century British Africa}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}