Ahead of World Veterinary Day on April 29, the South African Veterinary Association is appealing to the government to urgently address the shortage of skilled veterinarians in the country following the findings of a recently conducted survey.
The survey found that there is a critical shortage of veterinarians in South Africa, with only 30% of the country's demand for such services being met. This shortage is mainly due to the fact that veterinarians are excluded from the country's critical skills list, which places limitations on the number of foreign veterinarians that can be recruited to work in South Africa.
Dr. Paul van der Merwe, President of SAVA, says, "The shortage of skilled veterinarians in South Africa is alarming, and it is having a significant impact on animal health and welfare, food safety and security, public health, and the environment. The government needs to urgently address the shortage skills list to allow for the recruitment of foreign veterinarians to help address this critical shortage."
According to Dr. van der Merwe, the shortage of veterinarians in South Africa is particularly acute in rural areas, where the majority of the country's livestock is located. She says: "The lack of access to veterinary services in rural areas is having a devastating impact on the health and wellbeing of animals and the livelihoods of farmers."
SAVA is calling on the government to work with the veterinary profession to address the shortage.
South Africa will join the world in celebrating World Veterinary Day, a day that recognizes the vital role veterinarians play in animal health and welfare, food safety and security, public health, and the environment.
For more information on World Veterinary Day 2023 and SAVA's call for action on the shortage of veterinarians in South Africa, please visit SAVA's website. You can also read the article below as shared by SAVA on their Twitter feed.
The shortage of vets in SA is a significant issue and has far-reaching consequences for both animal health and public health.
— SAVA (@SAVetAsso) January 30, 2023
Gert Steyn, MD of the South African Veterinary Association discusses this problem in the Sunday Times newspaper. Read all about it here.@SundayTimesZA pic.twitter.com/2iqdhKb6y3
