A historical analysis of health services in Medan and the tobacco plantation areas of East Sumatra during the Dutch colonial period

Bibliographic Data

ID20253293
AuthorsWasino Wasino (0000-0002-3400-3694, State University of Semarang, corresponding author), Endah Sri Hartatik (0000-0001-6045-1602, Diponegoro University), Fitri Amalia Shintasiwi (0000-0003-2278-4048, The University of Sydney), Nugroho Bayu Wijanarko (0000-0002-9898-9325, State University of Semarang), Linda Oktora Putri (State University of Semarang)
Year2025
Volume12
Issue1
Publication date2025-12-31
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCogent Arts and Humanities (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2331-1983 • E-ISSN: 2331-1983
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/23311983.2025.2482399
OpenAlexW4411314470
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited69

Medan, formerly known as Deli City, developed in connection with the expansion of Deli tobacco companies in East Sumatra. Historic buildings scattered throughout the city reflect the colonial legacy of the plantation economy, with hospitals among the most prominent structures. The aimed of study analyzes the historical development of health services by examining the relationship between urban expansion, plantation growth, disease outbreaks, and medical infrastructure in Medan and surrounding regions. The methods used a historical methodology, using primary and secondary sources analyzed through thematic and chronological frameworks. The results showed that colonial buildings preserved the experiences of ethnically diverse plantation laborers who inhabited urban and peripheral areas. Basic medical services introduced by plantation authorities remained limited until the late nineteenth century. Improvements emerged in the early twentieth century through cooperation between plantation companies and the Dutch East Indies colonial government, improving healthcare in both urban and plantation zones. The study concludes that disease transmission in Medan was strongly influenced by segregated settlement patterns and labor hierarchies. The research contributes to the historiography of colonial health by highlighting the role of structural inequality in shaping medical policy and service distribution

Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · Colonial period · Colonialism · Economics · Geography · Socioeconomics · Asian Studies and History · History

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