Veterinary Service Professional Efficiency Development

PROFESSIONAL EFFICIENCY DEVELOPMENT IN VETY SERVICE:

NEED FOR a specialist cadre to monitor, support, conserve and converge of animal resources, [The principles discussed for the proposal is applicable to all service sectors]

The entry level Veterinarians are trained to perform their professional service with the following broad objectives,-

1. To work as a leading partner of a team engaged in rendering service to animal husbandry, animal Health care, veterinary clinical service and matters ancillary thereof and related thereto.

2. To educate advice and motivate animal owners and community to adopt improved (optimal) animal management practices including housing, feeding, breeding, health promotion, disease control and hygiene.

3. To organise efficient animal production, product handling and inspect animal products to ward off public health hazards, through them.

4. To maintain and develop personnel character and attitude required for professional life, such as integrity, sense of responsibility, dependability and ability to relate to, communicate with and show concern and respect for patients, clients and colleagues.

Globally the theme of the World Veterinary profession is to diversify veterinary service. The role of clinical care is being widened to issues such as the prevention and control of trans-boundary infectious diseases, veterinary public health including food safety and animal welfare. In view of the multi-potent role the importance of competent professional service has increased. In Veterinary education India was already following a holistic system since decades though in some states like Kerala the right human resource development is still unavailable. New demands are emerging to involve the profession in food safety, bio-security, bio-diversity and recently (from 2006) for optimal health for Man, Animal and Nature (termed as ‘one health’). It is impracticable to make unending ‘add on’s’ to the basic vety. Curriculum, that provides some awareness and comprehension to the ‘green horns’ with limited exposure to application. In many areas application of the newer technics and technologies has to come as specialization and/ or as Continuing Vety Education (CVE). Such trainings are aimed at professional efficiency development so that the community gets the benefit of progress made in veterinary science. It is unfortunate that some states in India still assess the need of Veterinary service on a quantitative than qualitative basis essentially akin to civil office hierarchy ie. fixing the criteria for human resource (HRM) as the number of vets needed for one administrative unit like a panchayat or Taluk and/ or on the basis of number of animals* in a locality.

Government Vets. working in primary veterinary centers are expected to be generalists and are now handling nearly 17 to 19 types of duties and responsibilities. They cannot be expected to give their 100% in all the areas unless qualified specialists, support and compliment the (multifarious) primary vety service. In 1996-97 such professional priorities were reckoned and projected officially by Vety Council of India (VCI) who discussed professional efficiency development with state depts. of animal husbandry, vety colleges and senior professionals and evolved a Human Resource Development Policy.

*by the word animal it shall mean birds, reptiles or aquatic/ marine animals which are brought to a RVP for professional service.

In the next 5-10 years, major changes are expected in veterinary services, Veterinary education and manpower management. As science advances and demands for professional service increase. To handle their service with uniform efficiency as is expected by the community the entry level Veterinary professionals need specialist (cadre) veterinarians to support and compliment their primary work. Immediate need for HIGHER man-power training is in four front line areas.

(a) Man Power needed to man specialist veterinary service supporting the generalist veterinary service at primary veterinary units.

(b) Man Power for the professional administration, like planning, plan- monitoring, impact assessment and evaluation. Conservation and biodiversity may soon become its responsibility.

(c) Man Power needed to handle first education at various teaching institutions (acute shortage exists all over India)

(d) Man power needed to handle higher education, Continuing vety education (CVE) and research.

A vet can treat animals or advice clients on animal rearing only when the community (owners or clients) seek their service. Today the common man from anywhere can connect himself to TV or computer channels and comprehend what is being done elsewhere in the world, like use of newer technologies in caring, rearing, diagnosis and treatment of animals. Our Professional service therefore has to match the Indian community’s vision, to the extent that they are relevant, logical and feasible to situations of each locality/region/ state. The demand for the quality than quantity of veterinary service is increasing manifolds. While updating veterinarians’ professional training to meet the client (community) demand, there has to be a simultaneous up gradation of the public awareness/ public relation. A vetPR, though is part of vety. & AH extension has to be considered as an independent super-specialty of vety service. It is often seen that extension is often treated like a non-professional activity where any person could be squeezed in or as an additional responsibility. Vet PR is combination of professional knowledge with cutting edge communication skill involving media planning, text writing, voice modulation including precise ‘voice throw’ and the use of multimedia technologies and efficacious tools (AAP’s).

Enterprises and organizations like the commercial farms, feed and food manufacturers, milk co-operatives, smaller poultry units, hatcheries, animal welfare organizations, insurance corporations (companies), equine studs, armed forces, “Goshalas”, NGO’s need service of veterinary professionals for a variety of technical and advisory support. While only 3% of the population of developed world is involved in food production 74% people in India are earning their livelihood in producing food.

For planning higher learning and efficient service it would be better not to depend entirely on the judgment of senior professionals to determine what a professional should know and should be able to do. Burgeoning quantity of new and highly specialized techniques and knowledge are often perceived to be irrelevant to an entry level professional’s learning objective or may only be of value only in special situations. While the opinion of the experienced seniors is important, we must not lose sight of scientific methods that are available for such planning endeavors. They include,-

i) Critical incident technique: This method consists of collecting comprehensive data on specific behaviors that characterize the effectiveness and ineffectiveness of vety service as perceived by clients at large or a local client where a professional is expected to be engaged/ employed.

ii) Task analysis: is the analysis based on what a learner/ professional currently does in a job situation. One can derive the requisite knowledge and skills the trainee has and must have. Therefore, the task analysis must be based on recordable performance of learners in their career.

iii) Epidemiological studies: Based on incidence of a particular social condition or problem (like disease, deficiency/ crisis/ hazard/ disaster-DDCHD), its prevention, correction and post correction utility is studied

iv) Evaluation: For evaluation of a training program in future the objectives of the training must be prepared in an observable, recordable and measurable manner. With this the results can be assessed objectively (ie. there shall be no subjectivity in judging or room for misinterpreting, results achieved or not achieved).

There is also an acute shortage of staff and virtually no specialist in vety. Service. Super specialty is still in its infancy. But there is hope if we manage our resource intelligently and utilize veterinary man power optimally in a compatible and mutually strengthening manner. Opportunities, responsibilities and obligations in each unit/ institution must be precisely identified. They must provide varied but graded experience/ exposure to the professional to build her/ his career on. This would also help build up a step by step hierarchy of generalists and specialists (even super specialists) each of whom has a complementary yet independent role to play in the holistic Veterinary service system.

Veterinarians have to be producers of knowledge than consumers of knowledge. Knowledge need be relevant, logical or feasible in India, particularly to the regions of the state concerned. There is demand for Veterinarians in newer vistas like the man animal relation/ conflicts/ competition .A harmony among “Man, Animal and Nature (M.A.N.) enhances sustainable development. Opinions may vary on the choice between high input high output system (HiHo), and Low input, low output system (LiLO). In some areas time has proved that the small holding hold good prospect and is sustainable and dependable especially for diversification and for local production of food. In India small units have proved their efficacy in terms of equity, low risk and per unit productivity in relation to “high input – high output” regimen.

Though there is ample scope for synergy, among institutions, professions, organizations and specialties, the scope of science of synergy among a wide variety of human activities from science to spirituality need be debated more elaborately. Management tools and ICT/ IT could be gainfully used to optimize the use of land, water and energy for Human Development. The Krishi Gyan Kendras (KGK), Primary health centres, primary veterinary centres, community development centres, etc. can assume the role of Gyan Manthan Kendras (GMK) ie. from knowledge delivery to knowledge churning centres (Anil Gupta, 2005)*. The scope for evolving a National Animal, Plant and Human Information System (NAPHIS) and establishment of science ashram (Knowledge churning centers) can be useful and need be explored.

*Anil Gupta is an anti-poverty activist and enthusiastic supporter of India’s conventional system.