History of Blackwater Fever in Northern Nigeria from 1900-1918

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Instructor, History and International Studies Department, Prince abubakar audu University, Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examines the history of blackwater fever in northern Nigeria from 1900 to 1918, a period that coincided with the establishment of modern health services. It will examine the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of blackwater fever in northern Nigeria, as well as the social, economic, and political impacts of the disease on the colonial government. The paper will use both primary and secondary sources, such as archival records, medical reports, newspapers, journals, and books, to construct a comprehensive and critical narrative of the history of blackwater fever in northern Nigeria. It will also use a historical framework that considers the political economy of colonialism. The paper will argue that the history of blackwater fever in northern Nigeria reveals the double standard in British health policy in Africa. The paper will conclude by arguing that the history of blackwater fever in northern Nigeria provides a valuable case study of the double standard in British health policy in Africa. The British government was willing to invest in the health of its own citizens, but it was not willing to do the same for the Africans under its rule. This double standard had a profound impact on the health of the African population.

Highlights

Unekwu Friday Itodo (Google Scholar)

Keywords

References

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Journal of Research on History of Medicine
Volume 12, Issue 4
November 2023
Pages 269-280

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