Veterinary surgeons warned against double practice

Accra, July 12, GNA - Dr Mensah Agyen-Frempong, Director of Veterinary Services, on Monday warned Veterinary Surgeons and Technicians in the public sector to desist from parochial acts that went against the ethics of the profession.

He said that practitioners employed by Government were not to practice privately, adding; "the principle is either you are in Government service or in private practice but not both".

Dr Agyen-Frempong said this at the launch in Accra of products of Jorgen Kruuse, a Danish company, which manufactures Veterinary products including animal drugs, surgical gloves, needles and syringes.

The products would be sold locally by Matrose Agency Dr Agyen-Frempong said the Veterinary Services Technical Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and the Veterinary Council had been charged to discipline members, who were found guilty of practising in their homes as well as working in Government establishments.

He said that as much as the Government would continue to support private participation in animal health care delivery, profit was not to be substituted for quality services to the clients.

"MOFA is aware that there would be areas of the country where due to remoteness or low density of livestock or lack of demand for veterinary services, private practitioners would be unable to render animal health services."

He said Government would continue to provide those services in those areas.

Dr Agyen-Frempong said Government had divested itself from the importation and distribution of veterinary drugs, "these are entirely in the hands of the private sector".

Dr Ebenezer Barnor, President, Ghana Veterinary Medical Association, urged the Government to increase its scholarship grant to students interested in pursuing veterinary as a carrier.

"We are not leaving the country like our colleagues in the medical field, yet our numbers are dwindling due to age and death. We, therefore, plead that the Government would come to our aid by offering more scholarship for the training of veterinary surgeons," he said. 12 July 04