Health in Ruins: The Capitalist Destruction of Medical Care at a Colombian Maternity Hospital

El Materno, Colombia's oldest maternity and neonatal health center and teaching hospital, was threatened with government shutdown over several decades. César Ernesto Abadía-Barrero's book explores the social life of neoliberal health policy through team-based and collaborative ethnography, arguing that health care privatization destroys rich traditions of medical care and requires larger political histories to understand.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 21 October 2022
Publisher: Duke University Press

In his captivating book, "Health in Ruins: César Ernesto Abadía-Barrero Chronicles the Story of El Materno—Colombia's Oldest Maternity and Neonatal Health Center and Teaching Hospital," the author delves into the tumultuous journey of El Materno, Colombia's oldest maternity and neonatal health center and teaching hospital, over several decades. Faced with relentless threats of government shutdown, the institution navigated a complex web of challenges and transformations. Through the lens of team-based and collaborative ethnography, Abadía-Barrero meticulously analyzes the social life of neoliberal health policy, shedding light on the everyday dynamics surrounding teaching, learning, and working in the healthcare sector.

Before, during, and after privatization, he uncovers the intricate tapestry of practices, traditions, and values that shaped medical care at El Materno. He argues that health care privatization goes beyond mere defunding of public hospitals; it also erodes the rich tapestry of medical traditions that challenge Western medicine. Despite drastic cuts in funding and a corrupt and malfunctioning privatized system, the professors, staff, and students of El Materno remained resilient and committed to providing innovative, high-quality, and noncommodified health care.

Through meticulous tracking of the violences, conflicts, hopes, and uncertainties that characterized the struggles to keep El Materno open, Abadía-Barrero compellingly demonstrates that any study of medical care must be deeply embedded in broader political histories. He urges readers to recognize the interconnectedness of health, politics, and society, and to advocate for policies that prioritize the well-being and dignity of all individuals. "Health in Ruins" is a thought-provoking and essential read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of healthcare systems, the impact of privatization on medical care, and the ongoing struggles for social justice in the realm of health.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478018933