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
Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines and VetNOW Will Focus on Safety, Security, and Resiliency of Global Food Supply Chain “Connected Care”
Technology Platform Designed to Achieve Increased Productivity, Profitability and Sustainability
Pilot Program in Kenya to Launch in August 2024; First in Multi-Country Plan
Cape Town, South Africa (April 19, 2024) – A new and groundbreaking global initiative will optimize livestock farmer and veterinarian partnerships to ensure the safety, security, and resiliency of the global food supply chain.
Announced today at the closing of the 39th annual World Veterinary Association Congress in Cape Town, South Africa, the innovative “Connected Care” Technology Program is a partnership between VetNOW and 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 platform provides mobile-based support and enhanced communication between livestock farmers, veterinarians, and veterinary paraprofessionals (VPPs). With an initial focus on rural areas in Kenya, the platform gives farmers access to vital information regarding disease awareness, preventive care, record keeping, and regulatory compliance.
The first pilot program will launch in Kenya in August 2024, the beginning of a planned-for and ongoing country-by-country rollout throughout Africa.
GALVmed, based in the United Kingdom, is a not-for-profit organization involved in developing a portfolio of high impact livestock health products and initiating a range of private sector market initiatives in the small-scale producer sector.
VetNOW, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (U.S.), is a leading digital health technology company focused on the global transformation of veterinary healthcare. It is dedicated to supporting farmers and small-scale livestock producers with improved access to best-available animal health services.
In order to facilitate faster adoption and deepen vital information-sharing, VetNOW has also partnered with the Africa Veterinary Technicians Association (AVTA) and the National Animal Disease Information Service (NADIS). AVTA promotes improved VPP practices for better animal care. The organization boasts 130,000 members in 18 African countries with approximately 11,000 based in Kenya. UK-based NADIS has a 30-year track record in disease surveillance and animal health Knowledge Transfer. It develops innovative IT solutions in response to animal challenges and focuses on improved animal health through disease prevention.
“The opportunity to equip and enable farmers, vets, and VPPs to achieve better results with healthier animals through affordable and easy-to-use technology drives our work,” said Dr. Apryle Horbal, founder and CEO, VetNOW. “We couldn’t be more pleased to partner with GALVmed, AVTA, and NADIS to achieve significant results in Kenya and scale quickly to meet the growing global demand for a safer and more sustainable food supply.”
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.
“GALVmed’s long-standing work on making livestock health products available and accessibleto small-scale producers will be massively accelerated through this productive partnership with VetNOW team of technology and animal-care experts,” said Enrique Hernández Pando, GALVmed’s Head of Commercial Development & Impact.
More information:
vetnow.com
www.galvmed.org
Editorial Contacts:
Tim Colbert
tcolbert@vetnow.com
201.284.9987
Beatrice Ouma
Beatrice.ouma@galvmed.org