Global Insights, Local Impact: The Reach of the GARC Data Platform
Since its launch in 2016, the GARC Data Platform (formerly the Rabies Epidemiological Bulletin) has been continuously developed and improved upon to ensure that its free tools can be used to collect and visualize rabies data by anyone supporting rabies elimination efforts. Over the years we have continued to engage with – and support – many interested stakeholders who wanted to use the Platform, and our hard work is paying off as we are currently supporting the data needs of a global network of stakeholders. If we say ‘global’, we really mean it! In fact, the Platform is currently actively used by people to collect rabies data in 32 countries around the world!
What is even more impressive is the sheer (and ever-growing) number of stakeholders actively using the Platform for their data needs. To date, we have more than 70 organizations using the free Platform as part of their programmatic activities, with more than 60 of those groups being non-governmental stakeholders. This should come as no surprise as we offer the free use of the Platform to any interested stakeholder – no matter the reach or scale of their activities.
These different stakeholders have various rabies-related activities that they carry out and thus need to quickly and easily collect diverse sets of data. Thanks to the versatility of the GARC Data Tools, the users can capture data (currently in more than 8 different languages!) on vaccinations, sterilizations, rabies cases, animal exposures, educational outreaches, and so much more. What is even better is that all the data can be captured using the GARC App – making data capture at the community level an easy and effortless task.
If you are working towards rabies elimination and you are not part of our growing network of Platform users, why wait any longer? You can benefit from improved data collection and visualization – while also engaging with potential donors in a more meaningful way – in a few weeks.
We have more exciting news to share! In the coming months we will be featuring selected users on our social media platforms so that you can learn more about the people using the Platform and their experiences. Let us know if you are already an active user and you could be selected to be our next ‘Featured GARC Data Platform user of the month’!
Want to find out more or use the GARC Data Platform? Email us at [email protected] and one of the GARC team members will be in contact with you to arrange a live demonstration of the Platform and the tools hosted on it.
Article by: Dr Andre Coetzer (Technical Director) and Ms Ayla Malan (Technical Support, Rabies), GARC