Sri Lanka Veterinary Association celebrates World Veterinary Day under the theme of “Veterinarians are essential health workers’’

The Sri Lanka Veterinary Association (SLVA) marked World Veterinary Day on April 27, 2024, with a social media campaign emphasising the critical role veterinarians play in safeguarding public health. This year’s theme, “Veterinarians are essential health workers,” underlines their diverse contributions beyond animal care.

“Veterinarians are often unseen activists in safeguarding public health,” stated Dr. Mohamed Ijas, President of Sri Lanka Veterinary Association. “To mark World Veterinary Day, we aim to raise awareness of the diverse ways veterinarians contribute to the well-being of animals, humans, environment and the role in  ‘’One Health’’ concept. Their crucial contribution in ensuring public health, and by promoting a deeper understanding of their diverse contributions, we can foster a healthier future for all.”

“World Veterinary Day’’ is celebrated on the last Saturday of April every year and highlights the importance of veterinarians in preventing zoonotic diseases - those transmissible from animals to humans. As veterinarians are equipped with a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, this collaborative approach “One Health’’ concept is crucial for preventing communicable disease outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics, thus promoting global health to ensure overall well-being of human population.

The campaign further emphasised the role of veterinarians in food security. Veterinarians are key players in ensuring food safety, by overseeing animal production practices, supply chain of food of animal origin, to ensure safety and quality of meat, milk, and eggs consumed by the public. This guarantees human nutrition and prevent diseases that are transmitted through food of animal origin thus it is apparent veterinarians are key players in maintaining a healthy population.

The human-animal bond was another key area addressed by the Sri Lanka Veterinary Associations. Veterinarians contribute to ensure mental health and human well-being by ensuring the health of pet animals like dogs, cats, rabbits, Guinea pigs  and fish etc. Studies have shown that having a pet animal in lonely environment can significantly improve mental health, particularly for seniors and patients.

Protecting biodiversity was also a focus of the campaign. Veterinarians play a crucial role in preventing animal extinction, including wildlife species. This helps maintain biodiversity, creating a healthier environment for all. The campaign highlighted the link between a healthy environment and human health.

Public health education is another major area where veterinarians have influence. The SLVA campaign emphasised the role veterinarians play in educating the public on preventive healthcare for animals, including vaccinations and parasite control. They also advocate for responsible antimicrobial use in animals to minimise drug resistance, which has public health implications for humans.

Veterinary research also featured in the campaign. Veterinary scientists also have a responsibility to protect human health and well-being by engaging in medical research understanding emerging infectious diseases like COVID-19 and developing vaccines against such infectious diseases. Notably, veterinarians’ contribution in developing the Covid-19 vaccine cannot be unheeded. Further, their research contributed  to development of technologies that addressed the infertility in humans leading to advancements in human healthcare, benefiting people across the globe.

Moreover, veterinarians play a critical role in ensuring food security and safety, preventing, and controlling emerging infectious zoonoses, protecting environments and ecosystems, contributing to public health, and. Just as the practice of veterinary medicine contributes to our understanding of ‘’One Medicine’’ or ‘’one Health’’, so must veterinary research. It follows that veterinary research is, at essential level, a human health activity. The significance of veterinary research and its fundamental role at the interface between human and animal health are often not recognized and underrated. The Sri Lanka Veterinary Association is actively involved in advocating a vision to collaborate with medical counterparts for advancing ‘’One Medicine” or ‘’One Health’’ and providing solutions for today's and tomorrow's animal and human health problems.

Established in 1940, the Sri Lanka Veterinary Association (SLVA) stands as the professional body dedicated to serving and representing the interests of the veterinary profession in Sri Lanka. With over 1,300 members, almost all of whom are graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, SLVA is deeply committed to the enhancement of the quality of the profession and the well-being of animals, thus contributing to public health.

Scientists have viewed that veterinary medicine is fundamentally a human health activity. All activities of veterinary scientists affect human health either openly through biomedical research and public health work or subtly by addressing domestic animal, wildlife, or environmental health.

Considering all aspects of Veterinary profession, the Sri Lanka Veterinary Association continues to play a pivotal role in fostering collaboration among veterinarians serving in various sectors and collaboration with medical profession, environmentalists, ecologists, economists, and social scientists to advocate “One Health” concept to ensure healthy population.

The association's commitment to excellence within the profession is unwavering, and its tireless efforts contribute significantly to the betterment of veterinary practices, human health, and standards of living. Thus, we can informally say that “Veterinarians are essential health workers’’.