Veterinary doctors, under the umbrella of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), have vowed to tackle the activities of quackery militating against the industry, describing it as a challenge that has caused financial losses and integrity damage to the profession.
This was disclosed by the Lagos state chairman of NVMA, Dr. Olufemi Aroso, during an event put together by the association to mark this year’s World Veterinary Day with the theme, “Strengthening Veterinary Resilience.”
The majority of the diseases in humans are traced to animals and the abuse of antibiotics by quacks. The major cause of high rates of resistance to bacteria in humans has been said to be the unwholesome consumption of animals treated by abuse of antibiotics administered by quacks.
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Therefore, to control quackery in the profession requires a multidimensional approach within the veterinary family, since Nigeria lacks sufficient veterinarians and facilities to track zoonotic diseases.
Aroso lamented that the activities of non-professionals who engage in impersonating veterinarians have become a threat to the practice and that they are already addressing the menace through proper registration of practitioners and the introduction of identity cards for veterinarians with security codes to show the practitioner’s practicing number, name, state, institution, and others.
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The President of the Small Animal Veterinary Association of Nigeria (SAVAN), Dr. Kunle Abiade, who doubles as the CEO of Petcare Animal Hospital, advised pet owners to be more enlightened and seek clarification before engaging the services of vet doctors.
The Director of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Lagos State, Dr. Rasheed Molade Macaulay, disclosed that farmers have turned themselves to vets by treating their livestock without seeking professional advice until the situation gets out of hand when they seek to turn vet doctors into magicians.
