The Veterinary Council of Ghana (VCG) and the Ghana Veterinary Medical Association (GVMA), have advised veterinary professionals to intensify the inspection of animals and their products to promote healthy and safe foods for the populace.
To play this important role, the two bodies called on veterinary professionals to inspect and approve animals and animal products for import and export and also inspect meat at various slaughter houses.
It also urged them to vaccinate pets against zoonotic diseases such as rabies and the likes and prescribe the rightful use of antibiotics in animals to prevent antimicrobial resistance in humans.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed by Dr Jonathan Amakye-Anim, the Chairman of VCG and Dr Hope R. Otsyina, the President of GVMA and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
According to the statement, Veterinarians and Para-professionals played a pivotal role in food animal production ranging from planning, medication, and vaccination to health management.
Their services were therefore required to enable farmers to have their animals healthy and productive for food production to feed the nation.
The statement urged members to make readily available veterinary services for pets and animals for sports and tourism to keep the animals healthy and alive as they are part of the ecosystem.
“The public must be protected from delicate diseases especially zoonotic diseases (diseases from animals to humans), and others that could further compromise the already delicate public health situation in the country,” it said.
All Veterinary Surgeons and Para-Professionals were entreated to observe all protocols put in place by the Public Health Authorities, and the restriction of movement of persons in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions as announced by the President to control the spread of COVID-19.
“The VCG and GVMA, congratulates the Government of Ghana for the measures put in place so far in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. We are also grateful to government in considering the use of some veterinary facilities and personnel in the testing for COVID-19, which is in the spirit – the one health concept.
“We wish to inform the general public and relevant stakeholders of the continuous delivery of Veterinary Services, which are essential for Ghana’s economy, the health of humans and animals,” the statement assured.
It entreated all Veterinary Surgeons and Para-Professionals to carry their Professional Identifications (ID) Cards on them at all times for easy identification.
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