Digital Tool Launched to Track Disease Outbreaks in Wildlife in Belize

A new digital tool has been activated to monitor and report outbreaks of diseases in wild animals in real-time, with the goal of protecting the health of animals, humans, and the environment. The governments of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize are running a pilot program using the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool for Health (Smart for Health), allowing field data on wildlife mortality and disease symptoms to be recorded and transmitted instantly to veterinarians and technical personnel for swift intervention.

The Smart for Health tool enables federal personnel and community guards working in protected natural areas to record and track disease outbreaks using mobile devices. The technology strengthens epidemiological surveillance by providing early detection of pests and diseases in wildlife, which could pose threats to livestock, public health, and environmental balance.

The initiative, part of the “Pandemic Prevention and Response, One Health” global program funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, involves specialists from agencies like Mexico’s National Agro-alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality Service (Senasica), the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp), and Guatemala’s General Directorate of Animal Health (DGSA).

One of the tool’s key advantages is its ability to function without an internet connection, automatically recording data and saving geolocation coordinates. This feature is especially useful in remote areas, ensuring that data is collected even during field patrols in the most isolated regions.

The multinational collaboration, supported by the “Selva Maya” program and implemented by the German Technical Cooperation (GIZ), aims to improve preventive health systems and build a comprehensive database on emerging zoonotic diseases in the Maya jungle region. The Smart for Health tool, already in use across more than 70 countries, is critical for the rapid detection of wildlife diseases and facilitating a timely response to potential health emergencies affecting both animals and humans.