Human mobility has long been central to shaping health landscapes in Africa and its global diasporas. Whether through the forced migrations of the transatlantic slave trade, colonial-era transportation networks, or the contemporary forces of globalization, the movement has influenced patterns of disease transmission, medical knowledge exchange, and public health policies. This panel brings together historical studies that examine the intersections of mobility, mortality, and medicine across Africa and its transnational connections. By exploring different scales—rural,urban, trans-Atlantic,and global—this session highlights how migration, spatial transformations, and transportation systems have shaped epidemiological experiences and health responses since the 19th century.

The first paper situates Africa within the broader framework of global health vulnerabilities. It examines how aviation, initially a tool of colonial control and later an engine of economic development, has facilitated the rapid spread of infectious diseases across the continent. By tracing the epidemiological impact of air travel from the post-World War II period to the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper underscores the challenges that African states face in controlling transcontinental disease transmission and highlights the need for stronger pandemic preparedness measures.

Shifting from the global scale to a trans-Atlantic framework, the second paper explores the migration of Afro-Brazilian returnees and their influence on reproductive health practices in Lagos. This paper examines how these returnees, shaped by their experiences in Brazil, introduced new biomedical and reproductive health systems in Lagos. By employing spatial history methodologies, it demonstrates how the architectural and social geographies of Afro-Brazilian communities in colonial Lagos influenced reproductive medicine and public health policies.

The third paper narrows the focus to urban-rural health dynamics. It explores how rapid urbanization in Lagos shaped malaria transmission and maternal health outcomes, particularly among women in informal settlements. Through historical epidemiology, the paper reveals how colonial public health systems neglected indigenous populations, leading to persistent health inequalities that continue to impact maternal mortality rates today. By focusing on the intersections of microbial transmission, gender, and urban development, this paper offers critical insights into the historical roots of malaria’s disproportionate burden on African women.

Finally, the fourth paper examines the mobility of healers in West Africa and their efforts to challenge colonial and postcolonial narratives that framed them as purely rural practitioners. This study explores how West African healers formed networks and associations as part of broader decolonization movements, asserting their relevance within urban spaces and national health systems. By rejecting Eurocentric portrayals of indigenous medicine as primitive, these healers actively participated in shaping modern African healthcare, demonstrating the enduring significance of traditional medical knowledge in contemporary health landscapes.

Together, these papers offer a rich historical examination of the relationships between mobility, mortality, and medicine, highlighting how movement—whether through aviation, the trans-Atlantic return of formerly enslaved Africans, urban migration, or healer networks—has shaped African health histories. This panel appeals to scholars of African history, global health, migration studies, and medical humanities, providing a nuanced understanding of the past’s impact on present and future public health challenges in Africa and the African diaspora.