Deloitte Launches 'Illustrate Change' Medical Illustration Library

In collaboration with renowned Nigerian medical illustrator Chidiebere Ibe, Illustrate Change aims to address the lack of representation in medical imagery amongst individuals in underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.

Deloitte is launching  "Illustrate Change," a project that seeks to increase representation in medical illustrations and reduce health disparities among people of color, in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson. 

Illustrate Change will immediately make available 25 diverse medical illustrations. The illustrations showcase the work of Chidiebere Ibe, a Nigerian medical illustrator. Illustrate Change aims to build the largest library of diverse medical illustrations and demonstrates a commitment to address the lack of representation in medical imagery.

"The launch of Illustrate Change marks a step forward toward a more representative medical education system. Illustrations are an important visual tool used in both medical and patient education," says Chidiebere Ibe, chief medical Illustrator of Illustrate Change, in a news release. "I'm proud my illustrations will play a vital role in continuing to raise awareness of gaps in the representation of medical images. Closing these gaps helps avoid implicit bias within healthcare settings and increases awareness of how conditions present on different skin tones, which could have very critical implications for health outcomes. I hope these images inspire future generations of medical illustrators."

Currently, less than 5% of medical images show dark skin. Only 8% of medical illustrators identify as people of color. The Illustrate Change digital library, made possible by a grant from the Johnson & Johnson 'Our Race to Health Equity' commitment, will house a collection of diverse medical illustrations across a range of health conditions. 

The library will continue to grow, reflecting a more representative patient population. The initial 25 images will represent 23 conditions across dermatology, maternal health, eye disease, oncology, general health, orthopedics, and hematology.