Since the beginning of 2021, COVID-19 has spread extensively throughout the Comoros—first in Mohéli, before reaching Anjouan and Grande Comore. The archipelago had enjoyed a long respite until the end of 2020, but the situation has become urgent over the past few weeks. Dahari is contributing to the fight against the virus through a partnership—in place since September 2020—with the Regional Health Directorate (DRS) of Anjouan. This collaboration involves funding equipment and digitizing the collection of health data on the island, a project supported by the British Embassy in Madagascar.

Before our intervention, investigators would travel throughout the towns and villages on the island to track symptoms, identify contacts, and trace the movements of individuals suspected of being infected—recording their findings on paper. This system led to numerous errors and significant delays in the analysis and centralization of data, even though a rapid response is vital for controlling the virus.  

Working with doctors from the DRS, Dr. Amelaid Houmadi—an ecologist and the monitoring and evaluation manager at Dahari—developed a questionnaire in the form of a mobile application (Kobo). This tool enables field staff to collect precise information, which is updated in real time in the central database via a 4G connection. The results can then be visualized through interactive tables and charts.

Data is now analyzed instantly, whereas it previously took several days to obtain results from data collected on paper. Daily monitoring of infections in health centers and hospitals—which is even more valuable during this period of resurgence—is also carried out through a second mobile questionnaire.

To carry out this project, Dahari funded the purchase of 21 smartphones and a laptop, which now enable health workers to complete questionnaires with the local population and process the collected data. The 21 technicians using the smartphones were trained by Amelaid in the use of the Kobo mobile application—ensuring they are well-equipped to work effectively in the field—as were the two managers responsible for compiling and processing the data.

Just as it did during the passage of Cyclone Kenneth in 2019, Dahari has been able to leverage its expertise and step beyond its core field of activity to address the country’s emergency needs. This initiative, which is currently proving effective in the context of Covid-19, could subsequently be applied to the monitoring of other, more common diseases.