Colonial Public Health Service in Ilorin Province, 1900 to 1960

The paper examines the measures put in place by the British colonial government towards safeguarding the health and wellbeing of people, and thereby guaranteeing an enabling environment for surplus human and natural resources maximization. The study explores oral testimonies, extant literature, and colonial archival documents to juxtapose the extent of the impact of the colonial health programmes on Ilorin province between 1900 and 1960. The traditional medical and religion practices of the natives were discerned as impediments to good health and smooth transmission of colonial ideologies. Campaigns and instrument of the law were promulgated to frustrate African traditional values and unhealthy lifestyles perceived as obstruction to the colonial public health programmes. The traditional rulers and sanitary inspectors were engaged and empowered to prosecute erring violators of public health ordinances promulgated to cinch the wellbeing of Europeans, the colonial civil servants, and the natives. Shortage of personnel and the quest for efficient resource management prompted the British colonial masters to administer hospital care extensively through the Christian missionary medical facilities. The few British health officials with some trained natives directly served as sanitary supervisors and medical field units and administered the colonial public health programmes. Their efforts, activities, and control measures such as health campaign and education, medical examination, mass vaccination, sanitary and hygiene supervision and monitoring, and provision of public works and amenities promoted the good health of the people and curtailed the extent of epidemic diseases.