Animal health and international development to be discussed at BVA Congress 2009
The British Veterinary Association’s 2009 Congress boasts a packed agenda and includes sessions highlighting the links between animal health and international development. The pivotal veterinary event will be held in Cardiff from 24 to 26 September under the theme ’Together forever?’ looking at veterinary issues in the context of devolution.
The BVA Overseas Group’s programme (Fri 25, 9.30-12.00) will discuss ways in which the profession is seeking answers on how to provide access to veterinary services for some of the world’s poorest livestock keepers by the increasing use of participatory approaches and the ever evolving need for collaboration and multi-disciplined approaches to poverty reduction by knowledge sharing and capacity building.
The first session will focus on support to the animal health profession overseas. Dr S Abdul Rahman, Secretary of the Commonwealth Veterinary Association (CVA), will describe how the CVA has advanced animal health, welfare and productivity and living standards, especially of rural women. He will highlight how climate change and emerging diseases constitute new challenges, whilst in the Pacific Islands a shortage of veterinarians is a special constraint.
’Unlocking the potential of Africa’s livestock keepers: a new approach to veterinary service delivery’ will be addressed by Dr Christie Peacock of Farm Africa who will look at the use of paraveterinary personnel in areas with low vet density.
In the third presentation ’Working together to improve animal health, integration and cooperation of NGOs’, Stephen Blakeway of the Donkey Sanctuary will consider the spectrum of organisations involved in animal health and welfare aid and development. Contrasting the view from within two case studies (one in Afghanistan, the other a Donkey Sanctuary project) Stephen will promote the idea that all organisations need to cooperate, particularly in sharing best practice, if animal health and welfare services are really to improve around the world.
"Veterinarians are working around the globe on both small and large scale projects to promote sustainable animal health," said Karen Reed, Chairman of the BVA Overseas Group. "Never before have the challenges that face livestock keepers been more pertinent – climate change, political insecurity, trends towards withdrawal of state veterinary services, transboundary disease and natural disasters: all impinge not only on food production but also livelihood securities."
