Farming

MBABANE – Eswatini is battling the economically devastating foot-and-mouth disease without a mandatory Veterinary Council, which is crucial in maintaining the health of animals.

The former council’s term of office expired about eight months ago, leaving the country without the crucial structure. Experts have warned that the absence of the structure may put in jeopardy the fight against animal disease because all veterinary doctors have to be vetted by the council before being deployed in the field.

The director of veterinary services, often acting as the chief veterinary officer, spearheads the national response to an FMD outbreak. They are responsible for coordinating emergency control measures, mandating quarantines, enforcing animal movement restrictions, deploying vaccines and communicating vital updates to the agricultural industry.

The Veterinary Council of Swaziland, established under the Veterinary Surgeons Act, 1997, serves as the primary regulatory body governing veterinary medicine and para-veterinary professions in Eswatini. Its core mandate is to protect public health and animal welfare by ensuring veterinary professionals remain competent and ethical.

Its duties include scrutinising applications, maintaining the official register and issuing certificates to qualified veterinary surgeons. It also prescribes the code of ethics and professional conduct that must be observed by all practitioners.

The council also has disciplinary oversight in that it investigates allegations of professional misconduct and takes disciplinary action against individuals who violate the code of ethics in the veterinary industry.

Its most important role is to publish an annual, gazetted list of all officially registered veterinary surgeons and to tender suggestions and advice to relevant ministries in Eswatini regarding veterinary science education and practice standards.

A farmer told this publication that the Veterinary Surgeons Act of 1997 makes it clear that all doctors must be registered before working in the country, otherwise they cannot practise legally. It is determined by the director of Veterinary, who is the professional in the profession. In the absence of the substantive director, there are many other pieces of legislation and regulations that may not be able to be implemented. He said though one may be acting in the position; such may not be effective compared to when a substantive incumbent is in place.

“You cannot take an engineer and make him head and regulate lawyers,” he said. Commenting particularly on the fight against the FMD, he said some of the subtle details may not be recorded properly without a substantive director of veterinary services.

“If trading partners want to know who was leading the crusade, they must get the information they need,” he said.

The farmer said what is expected of the minister is to consult his officials and advisors to identify the rightful people to form the council and then appoint them to the position. The council would then advise him on the appointment of a substantive director.

The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed yesterday that the council was not in place, but said the issue had since been made a priority.

The Minister for Agriculture, Mandla Tshawuka, said he had been informed just recently, about three weeks ago, that the council’s term has expired.

“We are now in the process of reviving it,” he said.

He said the absence of the Veterinary Council is not expected to affect the normal execution of veterinary services because an official is acting in that position. He said an acting director is able to execute the responsibilities of an incumbent director.

“We acknowledge that the nonexistence of the council is not normal, but we can assure that something is being done to normalise the situation as a matter of priority,” he said.

He said the ministry always uses the necessary veterinary doctors in circumstances that require such.

“The acting director takes operational decisions, but qualified animal doctors are used in the event they are required for specialised services,” he said.

The Acting Director of Veterinary Services in Eswatini is Dr Luyanda Khumalo. He serves within the Eswatini Ministry of Agriculture, overseeing the nation’s animal health, disease control (such as FMD) and veterinary public health initiatives.

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Minister for Agriculture Mandla Tshawuka and his SA counterpart John Steenhuisen (L). (Courtesy Pic)