Vetnews | Januarie 2025 28 « BACK TO CONTENTS “The South African Veterinary Association aims to serve its members and to further the status and image of the veterinarian. We are committed to upholding the highest professional and scientific standards by utilising the professional knowledge, skill and resources of our members, to foster close ties with the community and thus promote the health and welfare of animals and mankind”. MISSION STATEMENT Servicing and enhancing the veterinary community since 1920! Tel: 012 346 1150 E-mail: vethouse@sava.co.za www.sava.co.za Meeting with the Minister of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, the Honourable Minister John Steenhuisen On 3 December 2024 Gert Steyn, the Managing Director of SAVA, and I had the privilege to meet Minister Steenhuisen to discuss various challenges in the veterinary field. As a template for the meeting, not overbearing the Minister with lists and lists of challenges/problems, a systematic approach discussing inputs (Animals), outputs (Healthy Animals, Safe and Secure products of animal origin, Public Health and other One Health outcomes), control measures (Acts, Regulations, SAVC, SAHPRA), mechanisms (State veterinary services versus private veterinary services, CCS, shortage of veterinarians, second Veterinary Faculty, demise of the Veterinary Nursing profession, Veterinary Laboratories, OBP, other Veterinary Facilities, medicine and medical supplies) and the processes to be followed (Veterinary Team) to deliver the preferred end state were followed. The Minister is very concerned about the brain drain of veterinarians and will look into ways to address the shortcomings as established through the survey conducted by SAVA last year. The Minister was very receptive to our input but challenged SAVA as to solutions to achieve the end goal. SAVA requested that an enabling, empowering environment for the profession should be created by listening (consultation) to the voice of veterinarians through the creation of a Ministerial Veterinary Advisory Committee, to implement the approved Veterinary Strategy and to appoint external change champions for critical areas such as vaccine production. SAVA received a positive response from the Minister and he has and will soon request nominations from SAVA for various positions. Trust if called upon, SAVA members will rise to the task of assisting the Minister to positively change the veterinary landscape in South Africa. Dr Paul vd Merwe (SAVA: Immediate Past President 2025) v
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