Problems in the field of veterinary medicine and personnel training were discussed by members of the Senate Committee on Agrarian Affairs, Nature Management and Rural Development during a meeting with the senior officials of the Ministry of Agriculture. In point of fact, the case touched on the quality of veterinary physicians’ training, their low salaries and the material and technical equipping of veterinary stations.
“Veterinary services are basically part of the national general system of global biological safety. Insufficient qualification of veterinarians and lack of specialists directly lead to outbreaks of animal infectious diseases that threaten human life and health. All of us remember the sudden emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Such cases reveal the inefficiency of the veterinary service,” Senate deputy Mukhtar Dzhumagaziyev said.
According to the parliamentarian, currently there is a shortage of about 440 specialists at veterinary stations and posts. The government program “With diploma - to the village!” could solve the problem. The deputy, however, says that not all the goals of this program are achieved in full, and the support of specialists is not organized at a sufficient level.
“Thus, if only young professionals could be provided with necessary conditions for work and living in rural areas, such as service housing, social benefits, material and technical resources, the personnel problem would be solved to some extent. Certain achievements may only be achieved through the cooperation of authorized and local executive authorities, educational institutions and employers in this direction,” the senator added.
According to statements of representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, to further strengthen and develop the veterinary service, the Comprehensive Measures for the Development and Strengthening of the Veterinary Service for 2021-2023 were elaborated by order of the President. They envisage the implementation of measures to trace animals, products and raw materials of animal origin, the turnover of veterinary medicines, the prediction of livestock diseases, as well as digitalization in the veterinary industry. The program should also improve the situation with the training and retraining of the industry specialists. During the meeting, representatives of the agribusiness academic community made a few specific suggestions and shared their vision of further development of the industry. The recommendations adopted at the end of the meeting will be sent to the Government.
(Press Office of the Senate, 74-72-27. Photo by E. Ukibayev)
