While the term “colonial medicine” describes the field of study investigating the history of 19-20th century health care, medicine and colonization also share a complicated historical relationship.
For one, colonization often relied upon a concept called “biological racism,” as described in the “Race in Science, Pt. 1: Biological Racism” article.
For example, French colonial scientists delineated race based upon disease. With far-too small sample sizes of prostitutes, they claimed that 80-100% of all Moroccans had syphilis and were more prone to hyper-sexual behaviors, which later evolved into the American Tuskegee syphilis study (See Race in Science, Pt. 2: Domestic Vaccine Inequity).
Colonialism in Health Care
In fact, colonialism also manifests itself in entire health care systems. Race is often used as a justification for resource allocation by institutions, all for the goal of protecting the health of a 'colonizer.' Jim-Crow segregation of medicine and hospitals (albeit not explicitly a colonial relationship) provides a perfect example of race-based medicine, wherein racial minorities were treated by underfunded care centers.
In addition, the erasure of indigenous medicines and healing practices in favor of Western medicine perpetuates the same rhetoric of colonization, even in science. In the British empire, health care for indigenous populations was often relegated to Christian churches, further assimilating native cultures. In fact, some theorists argue that modern medicine is inherently colonial due to its roots in Western thought and the preservation of colonialism.
In modern times, the lingering effects of colonialism still imbue the global order and health care infrastructure. For instance, massive inequities in COVID-19 vaccine distribution and access can be seen across the globe, manifesting in high vaccination rates for rich countries and simultaneous dispossession in the Global South.
Many authors propose a potential reparation to the systemic issue: decolonizing medicine.
Decolonizing medicine
What exactly is decolonizing medicine?
Decolonizing first starts with gaining historical insight, like this blog post. The more we understand about historically colonial structures, the better we can account for these legacies of imperialism.
Increasing diversity and representation in these health care structures is another way of moving towards the decolonization of medicine.
For example, Dr. Rebecca Crumpler, the first black female physician in the U.S., worked to dismantle the high rates of tuberculosis amongst black patients who were ignored by white public health doctors. Female doctors also disproved the commonly accepted condition of “hysteria,” a justification for patriarchal structures to further the oppression of women.
Decolonization also requires interrogating these historical examples at the level of knowledge production. How are colonialism and Western thought deeply embedded into modern-day medical information, distribution, and treatment? How may research practices be exclusionary or ignorant of nuanced historical relationships? How may greater representation of minorities in professional spaces pioneer a more equitable future? Decolonization embraces these forms of questioning.
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