Health in Sub-Saharan Africa has always been experienced, debated and pursued in a specific historical context. At the same time the history of health and health care in a specific local setting cannot be separated from processes on a larger scale. This conference looks beyond the borders of colonial empires and national states by bringing together researchers with different temporal and spatial perspectives on the history of health, health care and medical research in Sub-Saharan Africa.The conference concludes a three-year research project on the History of Health Systems in Africa: Swiss Mission Hospitals and Rural Health Delivery in the 20th Century.