The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) has pledged its commitment to rid the profession of quackery and combatting public health diseases in the country.
The association made the commitment at its Annual Summit and Investiture Ceremony of Dr Olutoyin Adetuberu, as the 20th National President of the association, on Tuesday, in Abuja.
The theme of the summit is: “Curbing the menace of Quackery in the Veterinary profession in Nigeria”.
Adetuberu identified the dearth of veterinary doctors and surgeons as a contributing factor to the rate of quackery in the profession and further compounding the public health burden in the country.
The president, who decried that the country currently had about 9,000 veterinary doctors, stressed that five per cent of the number were employed by the government.
She described the number as grossly inadequate, to effectively combat public health diseases in the country.
She said that most states are highly under staffed with regard to veterinary professionals, adding that based on available statistics some states have only two veterinary doctors.
Adetuberu said that the country required no fewer than 20,000 veterinary doctors to be able to render quality and effective service.
She further said that such a measure would go a long way to mitigate public health diseases.
“We are a noble profession and silent achievers, but now we have decided to showcase ourselves to the world. We belong to the group of professionals that do not advertise so the quacks are taking advantage of this to ravage our profession.
“So, we want the government to do the needful, employ veterinary surgeons to take their place, let them perform their duties and not to give the duty of veterinary surgeon to quacks.
“We are, therefore, calling on the government, as a matter of urgency, to look into the recruitment of veterinary doctors in the states and federal civil service,’’ she said.
Similarly, Dr Samuel Adeyemi, the keynote speaker, said that quackery was more prevalent in the country at the moment than before.
According to him, the prevalence now was due to the wide spread insecurity and insurgency in the country.
Adeyemi, Chief Executive Officer, Soptimal Ventures Ltd, urged government to employ more veterinarians to fill the existing vacancies both at the state and federal levels.
He specifically recommended the employment of two veterinary doctors for each local government area across the country.
“Considering the work of veterinarians in disease prevention, enhanced medical salary issues should not be an impediment to recruitment, which had always been the excuse of the government.
“The professionals too should take proactive steps to ensure the dignity of labour through the use of seal to clearly differentiate them from quacks.
“Another thing is branding their advertisement bill boards with logo as applicable to the surveyors so that it is standardised, among others, and by so doing we will move the profession forward,’’ he said. (NAN)
