The Social Return on Investment of Participatory Digital Disease Detection System for One-Health Problems in Community

Abstract

Participatory One-health Digital Disease Detection system or PODD was developed for human health, animal health and environmental problems surveillance in communities since 2015. It was implemented in Chiang Mai, Thailand, as the pilot area. PODD was expanded throughout Thailand with the support from funders. It seems to be the successful system, but the evidence has never been demonstrated. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of PODD system during 2015-2016, which was implemented in Chiang Mai, Thailand before expanding to other areas. The Social Return on Investment or SROI was performed to evaluate the impact. The Social, economic, and environmental impact were determined by interviewing the direct stakeholders. The results showed that SROI ratio was 2.46. The farmers, including backyard chicken, pigs, and dairy cattle farmers, were the stakeholders who received the highest impact (31.98%). The reduction of livestock loss was the highest impact from PODD implementation in community. While the local government and PODD volunteers, who were the intended stakeholders, received the impact 26.84% and 20.04%, respectively. The PODD system created social and economic impact 73.89% and 26.11% respectively. The environmental impact did not occur in during the study period. This study indicated that the participatory surveillance system, which using digital technology, as PODD system established the socio-economic impact on community, and it is successful when implemented in the pilot area. The PODD should be promoted to be used widely, either in Thailand or other countries.