Veterinary Practice, Veterinary Quackery and the Issue of Veterinary Unemployment
Veterinary employment issues are transforming into a serious situation in Pakistan due to emerging parallel degrees, increased number of veterinary graduates, private DVM awarding institutes and sustained industrial crisis of poultry sector. Veterinary quackery is another issue for Veterinary Professionals having interest in veterinary practice specially in livestock.
Different types of veterinary diploma courses with different durations are strengthening the quackery in veterinary field practice in the absence of effective legislation. This para veterinary force is also taking the share in private sector jobs affecting veterinarian career. Issues should be resolved with strong legislation in veterinary education regulatory framework along with the veterinary practice.
Who can do Veterinary Practice?
Only a licensed veterinarian has the authority to diagnose an animal’s illness and then prescribe a prescription for treatment. The job of a veterinary associate or veterinary technician is to assist the doctor during diagnosis and treatment, while the veterinary assistant’s responsibility is to prepare the animal for diagnosis and treatment, handle the animal, clean it, care for it, and take care of its diet so that the veterinary technician can assist. This happens in developed countries.
جانوروں کے عطائی ڈاکٹر، کھلتے نئے راستے اور حل ۔۔ مضامینِ نو، ڈاکٹر محمد جاسر آفتاب
ویٹرنری پروفیشن میں عطائیت اور محکمہ لائیوسٹاک ۔۔ مضامینِ نو،ڈاکٹر محمد جاسر آفتاب
ویٹرنری پروفیشن، عطائیت اور محکمہ لائیوسٹاک کا فرسودہ نظام
In some countries, the services of veterinary assistant and veterinary associate are performed by the same diploma holder, but in the eyes of the public, such a person is considered a ‘‘doctor’’ only in our country and in our neighbors which is a form of Veterinary quackery. The spectacle has been going on for years; the roots of veterinary quackery are very strong, some are administrative aspects, some are economic and some are traditional. The problem of veterinary quackery cannot be eliminated, but it can definitely be controlled.
How Veterinary Education Lost Its Direction
What a strange insight these decision-makers had who closed the Animal Husbandry degree not in the national interest but to satisfy their personal ego. And even more strange was the planning of those animal husbandry people who, instead of restoring an Animal Husbandry degree to cool the fire of revenge, started three to four new degrees. What competition did they have with veterinary sciences that they created a new arena of competition.
The Growing Number of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Graduates and Veterianry Practice
DVM, Animal Sciences, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Sciences, Animal Science Every year, thousands of professionals take degrees in majors and poultry sciences, along with a storm of veterinary assistants, veterinary associates, poultry supervisors, dairy supervisors, livestock extension workers, AI technicians and others who have completed a few months of courses. The private sector is there for all of them.
A dozen dairy service companies, around five hundred dairy farms and a handful of large fattening farms, along with a constantly struggling poultry industry and a pharmaceutical sales sector full of non-technical people. How many people will this private sector of Punjab and Sindh now accommodate from across the country? On the other hand, there are almost no government jobs for DVM holders in livestock, wildlife and other institutions, while animal sciences and poultry sciences, etc. are not yet related to government jobs.
Veterinary Quackery and Challenges Facing Veterinary Practice in Pakistan
Practice for veterinary doctors, a field of livestock practice for those who do not hate the rural environment and backwardness. In this practice one has to face the already reigning few months to two years old various types of gifts of veterinary quackery as well as the strong network of veterinary stores and the alleged blackmail of drug inspectors. On the contrary, for those who are innovative and sensitive to lifestyle, Pet Practice is option in which in the next few years, there will not be as many pet dogs and cats in Pakistan as their doctors.
The storm of Animal Sciences and Poultry Sciences degrees that has started rising from various government universities as well as private universities and on the other hand the spectacle of private DVM degrees that is intensifying, will further aggravate the situation.
Regulation and Veterinary Quackery
The solution is regulation and this is not possible without bringing to an end the mafia occupying the veterinary education sector of Pakistan and the touts of this mafia sitting in government institutions and universities of livestock. The hair has turned white, it should be done now.
A Proposal for Regulating Veterinary Education and Veterinary Practice
DVM to avoid conflict: Only one Animal Sciences degree should be allowed to continue with the same. The number of admissions for DVM and Animal Sciences in each university should be limited. Animal Sciences and DVM degrees should be regulated under a single regulatory council.
Like medical, admissions should be given through a national test in both degrees and private institutions should also be brought under the same system so that one can become a part of this profession not on the strength of money but on the strength of merit. Further, there should be only one two-year diploma in the whole of Pakistan and the army of awards produced every year under different names should be stopped.
Why Veterinary Practice Needs Stronger Regulation
In the past, the number of veterinary doctors was less and there was no serious problem of jobs, but now the situation is different. Along with veterinary assistants, the number of veterinary doctors who choose field practice is also increasing rapidly. This is why now news of clashes are also being received. Therefore, now the need for regulation is especially in livestock practice. Although veterinary monopoly cannot be completely eliminated due to economic and social problems, the system can definitely be liberated by weakening the grip of this group.
Veterinary Healthcare Commission and Veterinary practice
The proposed establishment of a Veterinary Healthcare Commission on the lines of the Punjab Healthcare Commission is the need of the hour. Legislation should be made according to the ground realities so that laws and institutions are in place so that effective action can be taken against monopoly.
Future of Veterinary Education Depends on Reform
Since we can hope for improvement but not expect it, professionals should not be disappointed. Let’s take unique paths away from the traditional paths, make ourselves a better product. Most importantly, adopt the path of unity for improvement so that the mafia can be eliminated.
پی وی ایم سی اور پی وی ایم اے کا یہ حال ۔۔۔ ذمہ داری اور حل ؛ مضامینِ نو، ڈاکٹر محمد جاسر آفتاب
