Uganda hit by shortage of veterinary surgeons
Carol Lamunu, a student of Gayaza High School, inspects a cow during the Monitor Farm Clinic last last year. File photo
What you need to know:
- Mr Boniface Obbo, the general secretary of Uganda Veterinary Association (UVA), during an interview at the weekend, said the number of veterinary surgeons is small, with the available ones doing mostly administration work.
Uganda is facing a shortage of veterinary surgeons, which has put the health of animals and birds at risk, according to an official from their umbrella body.
Mr Boniface Obbo, the general secretary of Uganda Veterinary Association (UVA), during an interview at the weekend, said the number of veterinary surgeons is small, with the available ones doing mostly administration work.
“At least 10 districts lack a veterinary surgeon, including Kibuku, Butebo, Pakwach, Gulu, and Namisindwa, among others.
“But generally, at least 80 percent of the districts have one veterinarian, who also serves as a district veterinary officer,’’ he said.
Mr Obbo said the shortage of veterinary surgeons has left farmers with challenges, especially managing very complicated cases which cannot be handled by other professionals.
Mr Obbo attributed the shortage to little pay by the government, which compels the few to join the private sector.
“Veterinarians work hard to provide services in very hard-to-reach areas such as Karamoja, but you find that their salary is not worthy,’’ he said, while advising the government to increase the salaries of veterinary surgeons to be commensurate with doctors of human medicine.
“Veterinarians who qualify are not attracted to the local governments, however, they spend less than two years before leaving for greener pasture,’’ he added.
Mr Obbo warned that if nothing is done, the country will continue losing.
“In order to trade, veterinarians must be there to provide supervision services right from the farm to processing products and to the export level. All those stages along the value chain need a veterinary surgeon,’’ he explained.
The Lyantonde District veterinary officer, Dr Ronald Bameka, said they have one veterinary surgeon.
“In cattle corridors such as Kiruhura District, which has a big number of livestock, there are about six veterinarians, while in Lyantonde, where I am the district veterinary officer, I only have one veterinary surgeon, while the rest are certificate holders,’’ he said.
According to UVA records, Uganda has 1,223 veterinary surgeons, including retirees, those out of the country, while the majority are in the private sector.
