Another use for EpiCollect ....

Elephant killed by poachers, Voi area, Kenya
(Wikimedia Commons)

Vetaid Kenya have been using EpiCollect on mobile phones for several years now to monitor livestock vaccination coverage, diseases outbreaks and drought relief. We have just hear from Dr Gabriel Turasha that they have now started to adopt a similar approach to monitor elephant poaching.

Working with the African Wildlife Foundation, they have recruited and trained 12 Community Animal Health Workers to use EpiCollect on their mobile phones. They have also been trained in wildlife surveillance and reporting techniques.

This approach makes good sense as the animal health workers treating livestock are often working in the same habitat as wildlife. They are therefore likely to hear about any poaching activities as they go about they existing work vaccinating and treating cattle. This is a great example of One Health approaches which combine veterinary, human and wildlife medicine.