Exactly a year ago, I took a picture of the mural on the Kaneshie-Circle road (pictured below). It is a vibrant reflection of our daily Ghanaian lives, featuring the iconic “Trotro” and the pulse of Accra’s transit. But it also represents a massive, untapped opportunity.
Currently, our national budget for health prevention is stretched thin, leaving us in a “reactive” cycle of treating diseases rather than preventing them. What if we reimagined these concrete canvases as the frontlines of public health?
By partnering with local graffiti artists, the government could transform footbridges and heavy-traffic corridors into permanent, visual health campaigns. Imagine the Kaneshie-Circle stretch not just celebrating transport, but subtly educating the thousands of commuters passing by every hour on hypertension, diabetes prevention, or the importance of regular screenings.
In a city where traffic gives us time to look around, these walls are the most valuable real estate we own.
This approach leverages “Visual Nudging.” A well-placed, artistically rendered message about “reducing salt” or “walking 30 minutes” is often more memorable than a clinical flyer. By using local languages and relatable imagery, much like the “Mano Bi Kpakpa” branding on the bus in the mural; we can bridge the gap between medical advice and community culture, making health awareness a part of the city’s identity.
From a fiscal perspective, this is a masterstroke considering our hemorrhaging national budget. The cost of a mural is a fraction of the cost of treating chronic conditions in our already overburdened hospitals. By investing in “Art-as-Prevention,” we can reduce the long-term pressure on the national health budget. We are essentially converting a one-time artistic investment into years of passive, high-impact health education for the masses.
Fellow countrymen, it is time to think outside the clinic. Let’s turn our infrastructure into a silent doctor that speaks to everyone. If we can use art to beautify our roads, we can certainly use it to save lives.
It’s time for the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Roads to collaborate with our creative community to paint a healthier future for Ghana.
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