VETERINARY SERVICES – ESSENTIAL FOR ‘ONE HEALTH’
“ONE HEALTH”, which recognises the inextricable interconnection between the health and well-being of all living things in the environment we call Planet Earth is no longer just a concept. It is an essential way of life for facing the “wicked” health, environmental and social issues that we humans face. Our survival as a species is at stake.
But it’s not all about us. The plethora of animal and plant species that share this planet with us are affected as well. Many of which are already facing extinction. The “physiology” of Earth has changed over the eons resulting in major effects on species, and it is changing again now, this time driven by us humans.
How does “One Health” work? It brings together the various professions that work in the areas in question – human health, animal health, plant health, environmental, biological and the social sciences. It breaks them out of their silos in a collaborative effort to tackle the challenges we face.
Veterinary Medicine is therefore an essential component of making One Health work – a huge component. Globally veterinarians were the strongest proponents of One Health in the early 2000s when the concept was formally introduced.
Sadly, in Jamaica, the recognition of veterinary medicine as an “essential service” has only come to the fore in the past few years, thanks to increasing recognition of the value of the One Health approach. The importance of the health of our animal population in support of human health and well-being, food safety and security, the fight against antimicrobial resistance, protecting our borders from disease introduction, and mitigating the effects of climate change, have all highlighted the need for a strong veterinary sector. But this has not always been the case.
Over the years, succeeding governments have made decisions and enacted policies that have harmed the veterinary profession. In 1992, the government ended its Veterinary Services Division’s provision of clinical services to the livestock sector. Farmers had to seek private veterinary care or have none. The negative repercussions of that decision are still being felt today.
Veterinary drug registration and importation procedures, controlled by human health authorities, are such that veterinarians are unable to readily access many essential medications, most of which are available in our Caribbean neighbours. Years of negotiations and efforts to improve the situation have failed.
In 2015, the government ended all subsidies for new veterinary students at the University of the West Indies School of Veterinary Medicine in Trinidad – then the ONLY truly CARICOM veterinary institution. The dreams of many prospective students have been dashed, and we are starting to see the results now, with far fewer graduates returning home and a shortage of veterinarians to take up employment positions.
Illegal practice by unqualified persons abounds and is being allowed to flourish by failure to update and enforce the Veterinary Act and our animal welfare legislation, despite much work being done on proposed changes over the decades.
If One Health is to succeed in Jamaica, to support our Sustainable Development goals, the essential service called Veterinary Medicine must be supported, nurtured, and seriously strengthened.