VN January 2023

Vetnuus | Januarie 2023 2 It is sad and shocking to lose yet another young colleague over Christmas. What was supposed to be a festive period for the family turned into a periodof sorrowandgrief. My sincerest condolences to this family and all members who lost family, friends and colleagues during this festive time. May God give healing and reprieve during these difficult times. We quickly change our profile pictures on social media to include the Not One More Veterinarian slogan but do we take the necessary action to take care of our colleagues? Do we even know what their issues are? It is easy to say that if you need to talk to someone, come and talk or phone SAVA's Hotline. People experiencing depression or difficult issues are often unprepared to talk to others. How can we create an environment where they feel comfortable talking and dealing with their issues? Inmy interactions with younger colleagues, three issues came to the fore, and I don't imply that these are the only issues. They struggle to deal with the intricacies of interactions with clients, colleagues that don't respect them and financial concerns, especially dealing with huge study debt and remuneration that does not meet ends. To show that we care, we should make sure they feel part of our profession and family by using their name in conversations. We should express sincere gratitude when necessary and be sincere in our praises. We should listen more than talk, and we should listen to understand. We should be talking more about and to them than us, being authentically interested in what they do, their families, fears and aspirations. We should create an environment where they feel safe to express their concerns. My mission for 2023 is to try and better understand our colleagues' difficulties, develop programs to try and prevent them, and ensure that SAVA takes care of its members. It is no longer acceptable to merely inform members that we are there for them and that they can contact us if needed or phone SAVA's hotline. It might be too late. It is time for action! The mental health of veterinarians needs urgent intervention. If there are members and or companies that are willing to be partners in this project, please get in touch with me. May 2023 be the year of "Healthy Vets", which goes beyond physical health and addresses the psycho-social health needs of our colleagues. May we achieve the following: "Don't lock yourself away from those who care about you because you think you'll hurt them or they'll hurt you. What point is there in being human if you don't let yourself feel anything?" – Sabaa Tahir . v Kind regards, Paul van der Merwe From the President Dear members, Today will never come again. Be a blessing. Be a friend. Encourage someone. Take time to care. Let your words heal, not wound - Kromad 24-Hour Toll-Free Helpline: 0800 21 21 21