VetNOW APPOINTS DR. ALEXIS KIERS AS VP OF OPERATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT FOR KENYA
New Mobile Telehealth Platform Supports Livestock Farmers, Veterinarians, and Veterinary Paraprofessionals
Nairobi, Kenya (June 4, 2024) – Dr. Alexis Kiers has been appointed as the VP of Operations and Engagement for Kenya for VetNOW, a leading digital health technology company focused on the global transformation of veterinary healthcare.
Based in Nairobi, Kenya, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (U.S.), VetNOW is dedicated to supporting farmers and small-scale livestock producers with improved access to best-available animal health services.
Dr. Kiers is leading recruitment and outreach efforts for the technology’s first program, slated to launch in Kenya in August 2024. It will mark the beginning of a planned-for and ongoing strategic country-by-country rollout throughout Africa.
Current estimates in Kenya alone underscore the pressing need. Only about 2,000 veterinary surgeons and 12,000 VPPs are available to service the needs of more than 7 million livestock farmers.
“Dr. Kiers is the right choice at the right time in the right place,” said Dr. Apryle Horbal, founder and CEO, VetNOW. “His expertise, passion, and relationships with veterinarians, veterinary paraprofessionals, farmers, government agencies, and NGOs are already achieving fast results in Kenya as we scale our global operations.”
The platform provides mobile-based support and enhanced communication between livestock farmers, veterinarians, and veterinary paraprofessionals (VPPs). The platform gives farmers access to vital information regarding disease awareness, preventive care, record keeping, and regulatory compliance, among numerous other benefits.
Dr. Kiers is a Poultry and Livestock Veterinarian with extensive U.S. and global experience. He earned his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and a Master's in Ruminant Health at the National Veterinary University in Toulouse, France. He also holds a Master's in Avian Medicine from the University of Georgia and a Master's Certificate in Sustainable Agroecosystems from the University of Florida. Dr. Kiers is accredited with the American College of Poultry Veterinarians.
Prior to VetNOW, Dr. Kiers invested more than a decade working within global corporations including Elanco and Alltech, where he focused on production, food safety, antibiotic resistance, and pandemic diseases. Before working in the private sector, Dr. Kiers served as the lead technical advisor for USAID-funded programs in Southeast Asia ranging from preventing avian influenza to livestock value chain development.
Dr. Kiers serves as the lead technical advisor for the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on developing the poultry sector in The Comoros, working in partnership with their national government. Dr. Kiers is the founder of Dr. Bassecour, a French-based startup that strengthens the health and sustainability of local smallholder farms through technical consultations and the provision of small-batch vaccines and medicines. Dr. Kiers also conducts capacity building for diverse audiences on topics related to animal health management and husbandry.
“Joining the VetNOW team is truly a continuation of my life’s work to support sustainable growth models in developing countries,” said Kiers. “We are making real impacts on the lives of real farmers while helping to ensure the safety, security, and resiliency of the global food supply chain.”
VetNOW works in partnership with the Global Alliance for Livestock Medicines (GALVmed), which has received grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; the National Animal Disease Information Service (NADIS); and the Africa Veterinary Technicians Association (AVTA).
More information:
vetnow.com
www.galvmed.org
Editorial Contact:
Tim Colbert
tcolbert@vetnow.com
201.284.9987
