Veterinarians as essential health workers

Apr 27, 2024 News

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Statement by the Guyana Veterinary Association in observance of World Veterinary Day

Kaieteur News – The Guyana Veterinary Association would like to join its sister associations and colleagues around the world in celebrating World Veterinary Day on April 27, 2024 under the fitting theme “Veterinarians as Essential Health Workers”. The Veterinary Association applauds and endorses this choice of theme which promotes the concept of veterinarians being an integral and essential component of the global team of Health Workers.

This global One Health approach could not be better exemplified than by the Government of Guyana aptly recognising local veterinarians as essential health workers during the recent Covid-19 Pandemic. A commendable and avant-garde decision.

Over the recent decades, veterinary medicine has been known for its emphasis on preventative/therapeutic/ curative medical interventions – with great degree of success.

Moreover, the vocal and visible activities of Humane Societies, the world over have effectively promoted and enhanced veterinary interagency with their almost militant brand of benevolence and philanthropy. There is undoubtedly much more focus today on the humane considerations of daily veterinary occupation – whether it deals with euthanasia, transportation of animals over long distances, exploitation of animals for entertainment/sport, or production methodologies on farmsteads or by large profit-oriented conglomerates.

However, outside the sphere of what is perceived as the traditional practice of veterinary medicine, veterinarians are already contributing both directly and indirectly; and rightly so, to other aspects of human health and wellbeing.

Thankfully and rewardingly, more and more scientific veterinary studies are confronting human health issues which are emerging in our fast moving, social media driven world.  We are not referring here to the emergence of zoonoses such as “Bird Flu” (Avian Influenza) and Rabies but rather, reference is hereby being made to ailments relating to anxiety disorders, recuperation from surgery, PTSD and other serious, life-threatening pathologies, where an animal’s therapeutic association with human patients is achieving encouraging healing results. Veterinarians daily work hand in hand with their human medicine colleagues in research and practice in diverse areas such as surgery, organ transplant, epidemiology and immunology.

The knowledge and practice of a veterinarian dealing with household companion animals and horses is increasingly being used to combat mental disorders and behavioral abnormalities in prisons, mental health institutions and substance abuse clinics.

Particularly noteworthy is the use of animals in the therapy and rehabilitation of children with congenital mutisms and neurological disorders, resulting in their transmogrification (with veterinarian involvement) from reclusive children into gregarious individuals.

We also know that animal protein is an essential component of a balanced human diet but also brings with it potential risks to human health; it is the veterinarian’s role to ensure that all food of animal origin is wholesome and fit for human consumption.

Examples of the veterinarian being essential can be found the world over, with them not only making stellar contributions in Veterinary Medicine but in areas ranging from Nobel Prize laureate to politics, from the arts to sport.

Right here in our Region, we have had a West Indies cricket team captain that was a veterinarian. In Guyana, we have seen veterinarians hold high public offices such as Prime Minister, Minister of Government, Chairman of the Elections Commission and even Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences.

But is this enough?  Notwithstanding our professional efforts to improve the lives of our patients and wards and our relationships with the animals’ caregivers, there is much still to be achieved for veterinarians to be unequivocally recognised as Essential Health Workers and to be fully integrated with the undertakings of all the other actors involved in the solidification and perpetuation of the noble One Health ideal.

The Scientific American posits that humans have an innate interest in other species.  It is therefore important that we continue to be Essential Health Workers for All our fellow travelers on this spaceship called Earth.

The GVA would like to recognise the contributions of Dr. Steve Surujbally and Dr. Nicholas C. A. Waldron to the writing of this message.

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• essential, Guyana Veterinary Association, Health, workers, World Veterinary Day

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