All is set for Ghana to train her own veterinary doctors at the School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Ghana Legon by September this year.
Already, a document developed by a committee to form the basis for the training programme is said to be in place.
It is envisaged that the move will help solve the shortage of veterinary doctors in the country and save resources since personnel are currently trained outside Ghana.
The six-year programme will be under the College of Agriculture and Consumer Science.This was revealed at a press briefing in Accra on the occasion of the celebration of the World Veterinary Day on April 28, 2007.
It was under the theme “Celebrating the Diversity of the Veterinary Profession” with a focus on creating awareness on the highly pathogenic Avian Influenza caused by the H5N1.
The President of the Ghana Veterinary Medical Association, (GVMA) Dr. Enoch Boye Koney debunked public perception that veterinarians only ‘inject animals’, saying due to the diversity of their professional training, they work in human, agricultural, industrial fields and in the academia.
He emphasised that the core business of the veterinary profession is the prevention and control of animal disease.
“The achievement of the Ghana veterinary profession in providing effective and efficient delivery of animal health care is quite significant in ensuring food safety and food security.”
According to Dr. Koney, the profession has played a major role in creating awareness of Avian Influenza and trying to prevent the introduction of the disease into Ghana.
“Veterinary action helped to diffuse the scare of bird flu and this limited its economic impact. In addition we have continued to bring transboundary diseases such as rinderpest, peste des perit ruminants and Newcastle disease in village poultry under control.”
He stated that as they work in all capacity to contribute to making Ghana a middle-income country by 2020, their conditions of service should be enhanced.
“Veterinarians work under stressful conditions and yet the profession is one of the least rewarded for its economic impact. It is our ardent hope that gradually the message will sink and the interest of those who look after the health of animals will be met.”
A senior Policy Officer of the Food and Agricultural Organisation, (FAO), Mr. Thomas Chypee Palmer called for a concerted action to be taken to extend the information outreach on the contribution of veterinary to the country’s development through the media.
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