Nigeria: Making Health Go Viral, The Aproko Way

In Nigeria, Dr. Chinonso Egemba, known as an "Aproko Doctor," has found a unique way to share health information by using social media and social networks. Just as an "Aproko" is someone who knows everyone's business, Dr. Egemba aims to make medical information as easily shared as gossip. He emphasizes that people will not stop scrolling unless he gives them a reason to.

Dr. Egemba's approach is to open with something his audience already does, making health information as easy to share as gossip. This is different from simply stating a shocking hook, as the latter may only get one view, while the former keeps people coming back because they feel they learned something. After losing a patient to a preventable stroke due to poor communication, Dr. Egemba started tracking where Nigerians get their health information.

He found that most people rely on WhatsApp broadcasts, social media, and herbal sellers, rather than doctors. With a doctor-to-population ratio of four to ten thousand, Dr. Egemba believes that if doctors cannot reach everyone in time, the information should reach them first. His social media presence is vast, with over 3 million followers across several platforms.

However, not all Nigerians consume health information in languages they understand, and many trust unofficial sources more than official healthcare systems. Dr. Egemba is working on creating health channels in indigenous languages to bridge this gap. He believes that stories do more work than statistics, and his audience follows characters like Emeka and Nkechi as they make health decisions and face consequences.

Humor is used to help people understand their bodies, challenge medical misinformation, and make better health decisions.