The Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries (MIRAH) in Côte d'Ivoire has initiated the deployment of a digital tool, known as the Veterinary Health Data Collection Tool (OCI-SV), to enhance the detection and response to animal diseases across the country. This move aims to strengthen the surveillance of animal diseases nationwide. The OCI-SV was introduced during an official training workshop held in Abidjan.
The OCI-SV allows field veterinarians to collect, transmit, and visualize health data using a mobile application and a web interface connected to a central database. This digital system is expected to improve the speed and accuracy of disease reporting. According to Dougnon Manguy Gouébrini, Deputy Chief of Staff at MIRAH, a modern and efficient epidemiological surveillance system is crucial for the early detection of animal diseases.
Côte d'Ivoire continues to face challenges from diseases such as peste des petits ruminants (PPR), anthrax, brucellosis, tuberculosis, and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia. These diseases hinder the development of the livestock sector and impact food security. The introduction of OCI-SV is part of MIRAH's efforts to address these challenges.
Before 2019, veterinary health data were collected manually through paper reports from regional and departmental directorates. However, the completeness and timeliness of these reports were below 50% and 20%, respectively. This limited the ability of veterinary services to quickly detect disease outbreaks and respond effectively.
The OCI-SV was developed by the Project for Strengthening Epidemiological Surveillance of Veterinary Health Dangers (PRO DANGERS-SANITAIRES), with support from the Directorate of Veterinary Services. The tool enables real-time electronic transmission of data collected in the field, aiming to improve disease surveillance.
A two-day training workshop for 78 departmental directors of MIRAH has been organized to familiarize them with the OCI-SV. This follows previous training sessions at the regional level, with the goal of extending the use of the tool to all departments in the country.
The deployment of OCI-SV aligns with MIRAH's objective of strengthening its surveillance system and leveraging digital technology to enhance veterinary services. This initiative aims to reduce the risks of animal disease transmission and zoonoses, ultimately contributing to improved animal health and food security in Côte d'Ivoire.
Key points
- The Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries in Côte d'Ivoire has launched a digital tool to enhance animal disease surveillance nationwide.
- The Veterinary Health Data Collection Tool aims to improve the detection and response to animal diseases.
- The tool allows for real-time electronic transmission of health data collected in the field.
