A History of Native Medical Auxiliaries, Tanzania:1920s to the 1960s

Authors

• Irene Gabriel Ndosi, Mkwawa University College of EducationFollow
• Ashura Jackson Ngoya, Mkwawa University of EducationFollow

Abstract

This paper examines the role and evolution of Native Medical Auxiliaries (NMAs) in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, during British colonial rule between the 1920s and 1960s. It argues that NMAs were not merely subordinates within the colonial medical system but active agents who negotiated and blended Western medical practices with indigenous healing knowledge. Drawing on archival records and oral histories, the paper finds that NMAs filled critical gaps in healthcare delivery, particularly in rural areas, while simultaneously preserving local therapeutic traditions. By applying Local Agency Theory, the paper highlights the NMAs’ strategic engagement with colonial structures and their contribution to shaping hybrid medical spaces. The paper challenges Eurocentric narratives in colonial medical history by centering African agency and knowledge production.

Recommended Citation

Ndosi, Irene Gabriel and Ngoya, Ashura Jackson (2026) "A History of Native Medical Auxiliaries, Tanzania:1920s to the 1960s," Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences: Vol. 15 : No. 1 , Article 6.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.65085/2467-4745.1112

DOI

10.65085/2467-4745.1112

Publisher

Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE)