Vets are essential to our future as a successful nation

AS I reflect on the theme for 2024 – ‘Veterinarians are essential workers’ – my initial memory is that of the recent pandemic where veterinarians were integral in the preservation of food security, and animal and human health. Indeed, while some jobs are threatened with the expansion of Artificial Intelligence, veterinarians remain essential to our nation’s development; working in the industries of health, agriculture, tourism, sports, entertainment, regulation and education.

The Jamaica Veterinary Medical Association is “Committed to Advancing Veterinary Medicine and the Nation’s Health”, but the future of the profession in Jamaica has become uncertain. There are only about 110 registered vets working in our country of close to 3 million people. Some parishes are without local veterinary services and depend solely on mobile veterinarians that often live or work hours away. (Visit the jvma.org website to find a vet near you)

Some consider the cost of veterinary care exorbitant when it is, in fact, under-priced. This point of contention leads to an upsurge in illegal practitioners who provide less-than-adequate care with sometimes disastrous consequences. It also leads to veterinarians who struggle to make ends meet in an unforgiving economy, resulting in an outflux of talent to “greener grasses”. While this attrition occurs, there is little support for those who do dream of becoming veterinarians. The cost of veterinary school is beyond the pockets of many qualified candidates and there is no longer a subsidy to reduce the tuition fee.

Despite the aforementioned issues, the overall climate of pet care and animal welfare has evolved for the better in Jamaica. There are more farmers who want to provide responsible health care for their animals, and more pet owners who want the best medical care for their “furry baby”. There is more collaboration between the human and veterinary medical fraternities in establishing One Health throughout the nation. There is greater push to achieve self-sufficiency in the agricultural sector and the veterinarian is essential to achieving these goals. On this day, let us do more than celebrate our veterinarians. Let us advocate for them, as they are essential to our future as a successful nation.

DR KATHY-ANN LEON President

The Jamaica Veterinary Medical Association