The Importance of Strengthening the

Private Veterinary Sector and the

National Veterinary Statutory Bodies
(VSB).

Capacity building to support

strengthening of veterinary legislation
Dr Herbert SCHNEIDER
AGRIVET International Namibia
Chairman : OIE ad hoc Group on Veterinary Services

AGRIVET

OIE Global Conference on Veterinary

Legislation

Namibia

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE

VETERINARY SECTOR

Public Private Veterinary Partnerships

There is an urgent need to forge closer
relationships and establish linkages between
the official and private veterinary sectors in
order to effectively and rapidly respond to
animal disease and zoonoses outbreaks.

AGRIVET

OIE Global Conference on Veterinary

Legislation

Namibia

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE

VETERINARY SECTOR

Public Private Veterinary Partnerships

Such partnerships, as well as an increased role for
veterinary paraprofessionals (VPPs) in surveillance,
early disease detection and monitoring and rapid
response actions calls for capacity building at all
levels, to meet the demands posed.

AGRIVET

OIE Global Conference on Veterinary

Legislation

Namibia

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE

VETERINARY SECTOR

Global Public Good

Animal health and veterinary services, being a global
good, require global initiatives and collective
international action to be able to implement global
animal disease (including zoonoses) eradication.

AGRIVET

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE

VETERINARY SECTOR

OIE Global Conference on Veterinary

Legislation

Namibia

One World One Health Strategy

The application of the One World One Health strategy at the

animal-human interface will strengthen veterinary capacity to

meet this challenge. Todays public demands pertain specifically
to societal needs such as
food safety and public health;
combating emerging or re-emerging diseases, especially
zoonoses with the necessary disease surveillance and
management of risks;
food security and animal production to address the ever
increasing states of human malnutrition and poverty;
safeguarding biodiversity and addressing environmental
management and sustainability; and
bio-security and meeting threats of bio-terrorism
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AGRIVET

Namibia

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE

DEFINITIONS
TAHC
Definitions
VETERINARY SECTOR - DEFINITIONS

TAHC Definitions

Veterinary Services

21.12.15

means the governmental and non-governmental

organisations that implement animal health and welfare
measures and other standards and recommendations in
the Terrestrial Code and the OIE Aquatic Animal Health
Code in the territory. The Veterinary Services are under
the overall control and direction of the Veterinary
Authority. Private sector organisations, veterinarians,
veterinary paraprofessionals or aquatic animal health
professionals are normally accredited or approved by the
Veterinary Authority to deliver the delegated functions.
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AGRIVET

Namibia

STRENGTHENING
STRENGTHENINGTHE
THEPRIVATE
PRIVATE
DEFINITIONS
TAHC
Definitions
VETERINARY
VETERINARY
SECTOR
SECTOR
- DEFINITIONS

TAHC Definitions

Veterinary Authority

21.12.15

means the Governmental Authority of an OIE Member,

comprising veterinarians, other professionals and paraprofessionals, having the responsibility and competence
for ensuring or supervising the implementation of animal
health and welfare measures, international veterinary
certification and other standards and recommendations in
the Terrestrial Code in the whole territory.

AGRIVET

TAHC STANDARDS ON THE QUALITY OF

VETERINARY SERVICES (VS)

Standards on the Quality of VS

Namibia

21.12.15

The quality of the Veterinary Services depends on a

set of factors, which include fundamental principles

of an ethical, organisational, legislative, regulatory
and technical nature. The Veterinary Services shall
conform to these fundamental principles,
regardless of the political, economic or social
situation of their country.
Compliance with these fundamental principles by
the VS of an OIE Member is important to the
establishment and maintenance of confidence in its
international veterinary certificates by the VS of
other OIE Members
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AGRIVET

The Veterinary Public Private Partnership

The Veterinary Public Private Linkages

Namibia

AGRIVET

Private Veterinary Sector

Namibia

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE

VETERINARY SECTOR

Veterinary Organizations / Associations

To successfully address and meet these challenges
it is important that veterinary associations /
organizations are established to organize veterinary
professionals, being in public and private service, in
a country in a representative and consultative forum.
This also applies to veterinary paraprofessionals

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AGRIVET

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE

VETERINARY SECTOR

Namibia

Private Veterinary Sector

Veterinary Organizations / Associations

Main responsibilities focus on

the formal representation of veterinary profession in

consultations and discussions;

the entering into formal recognition agreements;
supporting and promoting public-private veterinary
partnerships;
the quality performance of veterinary professional services
rendered; and
the provision of facilities/platforms for continuous professional
development (CPD).

Such professional organizations/associations should

operate within a legally defined constitutional
framework, based on e. g. democratic and transparent
administrative procedures, including nondiscriminatory membership provisions and financial
accountability.
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AGRIVET

Namibia

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE

VETERINARY SECTOR

Private Veterinary Sector

Veterinary Organizations / Associations

In this context it is also considered important that VS build
formal links with individual private veterinarians and
veterinary para-professionals. Such links could take the
form of legal contracts for the provision of specific
services such as disease monitoring and surveillance,
animal vaccination, food inspection and disease
prevention and control. Such service contracts should be
within a common law framework, depending on the legal
system of the country in question.
An example of such formal linkage with private
veterinarians is the Sanitary Mandate in France.
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AGRIVET

Private Veterinary Sector

Namibia

CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES

BYTHE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

The core elements of Good Veterinary Governance

are intimately linked to the universal acceptance of a
veterinary profession (and not an occupation) since
the introduction of formal veterinary education in
1761 (Lyon, France).
The definition of profession is thus the most
elementary legal concept pertaining to the veterinary
profession.

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AGRIVET

Namibia

CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES

BYTHE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

Private Veterinary Sector

Australian Code of Professional Conduct

A profession is:
"A profession is a disciplined group of individuals who adhere to high ethical
standards and uphold themselves to, and are accepted by the public as
possessing special knowledge and skills in a widely recognised body of
learning derived from research, education and training at a high level, and
who are prepared to exercise this knowledge and these skills in the interest
of others.
It is inherent in the definition of a profession that a code of ethics governs the
activities of each profession. Such codes require behaviours and practice
beyond the personal moral obligations of an individual.
They define and demand high standards of behaviour in respect to the services
provided to the public and in dealing with professional colleagues. Further,
these codes are enforced by the profession and are acknowledged and
accepted by the community.

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AGRIVET

Namibia

CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES

BYTHE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

Private Veterinary Sector

Code of Good Veterinary Practice (GVP)

In order to address the demands for quality of

veterinarians in the private sector, veterinary professional
organisations have taken the lead to formulate protocols
and guidelines for quality management systems for
veterinary practices and clinics, based on a Code of Good
Veterinary Practice (GVP).

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AGRIVET

Namibia

CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES

BYTHE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

Private Veterinary Sector

Code of Good Veterinary Practice (GVP)

Quality management systems are modern instruments of

the free-market system, reflecting the clients/consumers
needs for transparency and confidence regarding the
services provided meeting high levels of ethical behaviour
and professional competence.
However the concept is not new at all, as the latter was
already addressed circa 2700 years ago by King
Hammurabi of Babylon when he degreed under text 225 of
the Code of Hammurabi if (the veterinary surgeon)
performs a serious operation on an ass or ox, and kill it,
he shall pay the owner one-fourth of Its value.
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AGRIVET

Namibia

CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES

BYTHE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

Private Veterinary Sector

Code of Good Veterinary Practice (GVP)

Such Codes of GVP have been introduced, during the startup phases mostly on a voluntary basis, becoming
compulsory at a later stage, by national veterinary
organizations (e. g. the New Zealand Veterinary Council
Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinarians) or have
been formulated on a regional level (e. g. by the Federation
of Veterinarians in Europe - FVE European Veterinary Code
of Conduct).
Such Codes of GVP have substantially contributed to GVG
in the private veterinary sector.

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AGRIVET

OIE TAHC Standards

Namibia

The TAHC
The Quality of Veterinary Services
(VS) and thus Good Veterinary
Governance (GVG) depend on OIE
International Standards which are
available as and contained in the
Terrestrial Animal Health Code
(TAHC).
available at
http://www.oie.int/eng/normes/mcode/
en_sommaire.htm

Chapter
Chapter3.1.
3.1.Veterinary
VeterinaryServices
Services

Chapter 3.2. - Evaluation of Veterinary Services

Chapter 3.2. - Evaluation of Veterinary Services
21.12.15

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AGRIVET

Definitions

Namibia

21.12.15

TheDefinitions
TAHC
TAHC

The most important single issue in dealing with

any of the previous mentioned activities relating to
the Quality of the VS in compliance with the TAHC,
is to define a veterinarian and a veterinary paraprofessional (VPP)

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AGRIVET

Definitions

Namibia

21.12.15

TheDefinitions
TAHC
TAHC

Veterinarian
means a person registered or licensed by the
relevant veterinary statutory body of a country to
practice veterinary medicine/science in that
country.

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AGRIVET

Namibia

TheDefinitions
TAHC
TAHC

Veterinary para-professional (VPP)

Definitions

means a person who, for the purposes of the

21.12.15

Terrestrial Code, is authorised by the veterinary

statutory body to carry out certain designated tasks
(dependent upon the category of veterinary paraprofessional) in a territory, and delegated to them
under the responsibility and direction of a
veterinarian. The tasks for each category of
veterinary para-professional should be defined by
the veterinary statutory body depending on
qualifications and training, and according to need.
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AGRIVET

Namibia

TheDefinitions
TAHC
TAHC

Definitions

Veterinary para-professional (VPP)

21.12.15

The use of the term para-veterinarian or paravet should be avoided and the term VPP be used
instead, as para-vet has a negative connotation
such as pseudo-vet; quasi-vet or barefoot vet.
Examples of veterinary para-professionals would
include veterinary nurses, veterinary technicians,
community-based animal health workers, food
inspectors, animal health technicians, livestock
inspectors etc..

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AGRIVET

TheDefinitions
TAHC
TAHC

Namibia

Official veterinarians

Definitions

defined in the OIE Code as means a veterinarian

21.12.15

authorised by the Veterinary Authority of the

country to perform certain designated official tasks
associated with animal health and/or public health
and inspections of commodities and, when
appropriate, to certify in conformity with the
provisions of Chapters 5.1. and 5.2. of the
Terrestrial Code.

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AGRIVET

The
VSB
TAHC
Definitions

Namibia

Definitions

Veterinary Statutory Body

21.12.15

means an autonomous authority regulating

veterinarians and veterinary paraprofessionals

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AGRIVET

The VSB

The VSB Objectives and functions

Namibia

21.12.15

Objectives and functions

are described in TAHC
Chapter 3.2
Article 3.2.12
Taking note of the OIE TAHC standards, the
establishment of a VSB in a country is
considered to be a necessity for the
profession AS A WHOLE.
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Namibia

The VSB
The authority of the VSB regarding licensing /
registration of veterinarians and veterinary paraprofessionals

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AGRIVET

Namibia

The VSB
VPPs regulated by the VSB and their
relationship to veterinarians

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The VSB Objectives and functions

Namibia

The VSB : Objectives & Functions

to regulate veterinarians and veterinary paraprofessionals through licensing and/or registration of

such persons;
to determine the minimum standards of education
(initial and continuing) required for degrees, diplomas
and certificates entitling the holders thereof to be
registered as veterinarians and veterinary paraprofessionals;
to determine the standards of professional conduct
of veterinarians and veterinary para-professionals and
to ensure these standards are met.

21.12.15

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AGRIVET

The Veterinary Statutory Body

Namibia

The VSB
Chapter 3.2, article 3.2.12 of the TAHC deals specifically
with the evaluation of the VSB and defines the respective
standards
VSBs have been in existence in many countries for
many years, with wide variations in legal basis;
autonomy; objectives; authority; functions and
responsibilities, composition; administrative procedures
etc.
However, in quiet a number of countries there is
no VSB at all.

21.12.15

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AGRIVET

VSB Terminology

Namibia

The VSB Name

Be it called a Veterinary Council or a

Veterinary Board or by any other name, the
establishment of a VSB in a given country
depends on the political/administrative systems
in place.
Hence it may be for example a national body or
it may be a state or provincial body with an
umbrella VSB at national/federal level,
depending the particularities of the VS in the
country.

21.12.15

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VSB - Summary

Namibia

The Veterinary Statutory Body

In summary, a VSB

21.12.15

is established by law,
should be autonomous,
has a democratically elected membership
representing the whole spectrum of the
profession,
determines minimum standards of veterinary
education,
sets standards for professional performance and
ethical behavior and
licenses/registers veterinarians and VPPs which
also implies the authority to withdraw such
licenses and de-register following breaches of
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professional conduct or ethical behavior.

AGRIVET

Namibia

Recommendations

Conclusion

Within the context of this Conference

on Veterinary Legislation it is
recommended that countries

21.12.15

1. provide enabling national legislation for the

establishment of an autonomous
Veterinary Statutory Body with clearly
defined powers and objectives to regulate
the veterinary profession as a whole in
accordance with OIE standards as
contained and referred to in article 3.2.12 of
the TAHC
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AGRIVET

Conclusion

Namibia

21.12.15

Recommendations

2. clearly define veterinarian and

veterinary para-professional in such
legislation;
3. provide an enabling legislative
environment for the establishment of private
veterinary sector organizations
and their
participation in all relevant animal health activities
of the country.

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AGRIVET

Namibia

It may be a long road ahead

but dont despair you will get
there !

THANK YOU
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