Divided: Racism, Medicine and Why We Need to Decolonise Healthcare
A Finalist for the Orwell Prize for Political Writing
A Financial Times Best Summer Book 2023
'Prepare to be blown away' – Chikwe Ihekweazu, Assistant Director General at WHO
'Important and ambitious' – Observer
'Outstanding ... I can't stress the importance of this book strongly enough' – Jacqueline Roy, author of The Fat Lady Sings
‘Necessary. In the right hands, this book will save lives’ – Nova Reid, author of The Good Ally
‘An unflinching, hugely eye-opening exploration of medicine's brutal colonial history – The i
This searing polemic reveals how racism and colonialism have shaped science and medicine – leading to the health inequalities we see all around us today. Activist, doctor and patient, Annabel Sowemimo reinserts the stories of Black and Indigenous scientists and doctors into the historical narrative, reframing how we see the 'objective' systems we operate within. In confronting this history, she argues for better understanding of our collective past to bring about urgent change.
Dr Annabel Sowemimo is a doctor, activist and writer. As well as being a Sexual and Reproductive Health registrar in the NHS, she is also the founder of community-based organisation Reproductive Justice Initiative, formed to address the colonial history of sexual and reproductive health. In her spare time, Annabel is a PhD candidate and Harold Moody Scholar at King’s College London. Find her on Twitter @sosowemimo