Presented by Dr Samuel Adediran, Abdallah Twahir and Dr Lois Muraguri from GALVmed at the OIE, AVTA and GALVmed conference on the role of veterinary paraprofessionals in Africa. OIE, Africa Veterinary Technicians Association and GALVmed hosted the first continental Africa veterinary para-professional conference from 13-15th October 2015 in Pretoria, South Africa. Para-professional veterinarians (PPV) are those who are authorised by the veterinary statutory body and who are authorised to carry out certain designated tasks that are delegated to them under the direction/responsibility of a veterinarian. With the shortage of qualified veterinary surgeons, the size of rural areas, nomadic production systems and lack of supervision, the importance of PPV and how they operate is particularly relevant to Africa.

1. Veterinary paraprofessionals and
Animal Health Services Delivery.
S. Adediran, A. Twahir and L. Muraguri.
Linking Veterinary paraprofessionals with Veterinarians
WORLD ORGANISATION FOR ANIMAL HEALTH VETERINARY PARAPROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE
St. George Hotel & Conference Centre, Pretoria, South Africa.
13th - 15th October, 2015.

2. GALVmed - Who we are and what we do
Slide 2
• Animal health Product development & adoption Partnership organisation
• A not-for-profit Public-Private Partnership – registered charity
• Funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and The Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
• Partners: working with key partners to make a sustainable difference in access to
animal health products for poor livestock keepers
What we do
How we work

3. Slide 3
Many animal and human
diseases can be exchanged
via zoonotic (animal to
human) or anthroponotic
(human to animal)
transmission.
Livestock & people: Complex inter - relationship
and Zoonosis.

4. Why Animal Health lagged behind Human Health
Slide 4
• Global economic recession & Decline in
AH service
• Primary Health care vs. Animal Health care
• Limited number & distribution of Vets
• Poor infrastructure, famine and Diseases
outbreak
• Emergence of para-veterinarians

5. Veterinary personnel in Animal Health Services - 2011
Slide 5
Source: Animal Health Information Department –OIE
Africa: 85% countries surveyed have 1 PVT to 2000 animals
(i.e. 2,400 TLU)

6. Roles of Veterinary Paraprofessionals (VPP)
Slide 6
• Increased availability of veterinary service in rural and
conflict areas.
• Provision of livestock extension services
• Provision of more affordable service
• Disease monitoring and surveillance information.
• Vaccination against some diseases
In many countries legislations still prohibit VPPs from providing animal
health services especially in the private sector

7. Impact of roles of CAHW
Slide 7
Tom Olaka, a CAHW from
Karamoja, Uganda, identified and
reported the last outbreak of
rinderpest in 2000 and provided
information on livestock
movements that led to an effective
response, enabling the completion
of rinderpest eradication from
Uganda.

8. GALVmed experience with Animal Health Delivery partners.
Slide 8
East Coast Fever (ECF) vaccination
Newcastle disease (ND) vaccination

9. GALVmed experience with partners.
Slide 9
Partner Product Vet Paravet CAHW
Ratio
Vet/VPP
A East Coast Fever 10 35 0 0.28
B East Coast Fever 4 13 0 0.31
C Newcastle 6(5) 79 114 0.08
D Newcastle 1 2 160 0.006
E Newcastle 2 6 47 0.04
Proportion of Vets and VPP employed in ECF and ND
vaccination delivery in selected African countries
() Vets employed part-time

10. Proportion of Vets and VPP employed in ND vaccination
delivery in selected Asian countries
Slide 10
Partner Vet*
Paravet CAHW vaccinator
Ratio
Vet/VPP
A 1(1) 0 96 0 0.02
0(1) 0 0 195 0.005
B 0(1) 3 0 20 0.04
C 1 0 80 36 0.009
D 3 6 37 200 0.01
E 0(1) 1 0 125 0.008
* Vets active as trainers () Vets employed part-time
GALVmed experience with partners.

11. Challenges & Opportunities over activities of para veterinarians
Slide 11
Photo Credits: Newhope360.com, Picky
wallpapers.com, gavi.org, wings900.com,
YouTube

12. Competitive or Complementary partners?
Slide 12
A respondent OIE survey. "One vet supervising
ten para-veterinarians and one hundred CBAHWs
can treat 500,000 animals in a day. One vet
working alone could only treat 50 animals in a day."
Commandants & Foot Soldiers

13. Slide 13
Is Primary Animal Healthcare attainable?
 Integrated Primary Animal Healthcare Program.
 Clear guidelines from OIE, AU-IBAR and VSB on
classification, training, accreditation/registration of VPP
 ONE HEALTH goals based on principles
 Equity
 Efficiency
 Quality service
 Accessibility.
 Inclusive approach to AH by Veterinary Statutory Boards
Vision 2050: Equal Access to Good quality healthcare for Animals

14. Take Home messages
• Health is wealth – AH as Development Tool
• Clearly articulated livestock health programs
• Coordination, collaboration & supervision for QA.
Slide 14
A Vet is a Phone call away

15. Slide 15
Thank You
Daniel Walsh
Father of Veterinary
Technology in USA
Who will be the
FATHER of Primary
Animal Healthcare in
Africa?
“As we look
ahead into the
next Century,
Leaders will be
those who
empower others”
Bill Gates.