COLONIAL HEALTH SERVICES
It was a colonial public service aimed at providing medical treatment to the people. It was done for the purpose of handling illness (diseases) of the immigrant and the native races in colonial Africa. Many health centers such as dispensaries, hospitals and so on were built in various places so as to cure diseases.
OBJECTIVES OF COLONIAL HEALTH
It was aimed at improving the health and living standard of Africans and the Europeans. The health labor force facilitated colonial production.
It was also aimed at preventing and curing diseases to both Africans and Europeans through vaccine and other ways.
Colonial health services were used as means of ensuring the market of the medicine products manufactured in Europe.
It was also aimed at destroying African ways of life such as the use of African traditional medicine which threatened the market of Europeans medicine in Africa.
Colonial health services were also aimed at creating employment chances for the European medical officers in Africa.
Nevertheless, it was aimed at consolidation of European colonialism in Africa.
CHARACTERISTICS OF COLONIAL HEALTH SERVICES
Most of the health centers were owned by the religious institutions such as Roman Catholic church, Anglican, Lutheran, SDA, Muslim institutions e.g. KCMC, Peramiho.
Existence of colonial bureaucracy: Most of the health centers, managers were Europeans. The natives served as medical assistants, clerks etc. there were very few doctors e.g. Kamuzu Banda of Malawi etc.
Racial segregation: The health services meant at serving the natives were of low quality than those of the Europeans. The public (government) health centers were of low quality.
Very few doctors: The number of doctors was inversely proportional to the population. This made the natives lack important health services.
Very few health centers: The health centers were very few far from people’s residential areas. People walked a long distance to reach the health centers.
Unable to handle serious cases: The cases such as complicated surgery and similar cases.
African treatment was strictly discouraged by the governments’ religious (Christian cities) and so on.
