The Veterinary Services’ component, which is under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in KwaZulu-Natal, held its annual year-end workshop in Mtubatuba recently.

Veterinary doctors and interns across the province converged in Imfolozi Protea in a two-day workshop which was aimed at mapping out the way forward after a successful year of service to the rural communities.

The need for rural animal healthcare assistance is in demand as more communities rely in livestock for subsistence and economic livelihood.

Dr Percy Morake, who was facilitating the workshop on behalf of the Department, said every year they meet as vets to talk about challenges they met during the year and consolidate plans to tackle them. The workshop is also used as a platform for intern vets to present their work.

Morake said they listen to presentations from junior doctors placed in different districts who serve communities in clinics stationed in local vet outlets.

“We then give our inputs as leadership on how to improve their services and give appreciation where we recognised good practices. We are glad that our vets have developed huge passion in serving rural and poor communities,” said Morake. Present at the workshop were reps from companies that trade on medical products who also contributed in the workshop by providing latest knowledge and information which will further assist in the fight against animal diseases and malnutrition. The component also gave out certificates to best performing intern vets and assistants who went an extra mile in the provision of service delivery to destitute communities of KZN as part of their training in the field of veterinary services.