Role of Veterinarians and Livestock Sector for “Vikashit Bharat@ 2047”
Dr. Md Taslim Anwar, Touring Veterinary Officer, Bounsi, Banka
Department of Animal Husbandary and Fisheries, Goverment of Bihar
Vikasit Bharat 2047′ is the current government’s roadmap to making India a completely developed nation by 2047; 100 years after independence. India can become Vikshit only if each professionals works hand in hand together. Livestock and poultry provide highly sustainable returns in small & medium holdings and act as a living bank or ATM providing necessary cash in times of need or emergency or any family issue function. Veterinarians and the livestock sector are vital catalysts for achieving Vikasit Bharat@2047. By ensuring animal health, food security, and public health, veterinarians contribute significantly.Following role of Veterinarians will serve as a catalyst to fulfil Indias dream of Vikasit Bharat by 2047.
1.Animal Health
Veterinarians ensure optimal health and productivity of livestock by providing advice on scientific housing, management, breeding, and feeding practices along with providing healthcare services like diagnosis, prevention, control, and treatment of the livestock. Veterinarians are instrumental in implementing disease prevention and control measures. This includes vaccination programs, disease surveillance, and rapid response to emerging health threats.
2.One Health
One Health is the concept that humans, animals, and the world we live in are inextricably linked. Because animals both impact and are impacted by people and the environment, veterinarians play integral roles in protecting not just our animal patients, but people and the environment as well. As clinical practitioners, epidemiologists, and ecological experts, veterinarians are essential to advancing One Health and protecting the health and safety of its three pillars: animals, people, and the environment.
3.Zoonosis and Public Health
Veterinarians with their diverse training, including practical experience in animal health and knowledge of epidemiology and environmental drivers of disease, are ideally placed to respond to increased zoonotic risk in cooperation with other One Health professionals in the public health, environmental and ecological fields.
Veterinarians should be actively involved in addressing zoonotic disease management in the planning and development of government policy and interventions. Veterinarians can assist in prevention of zoonotic diseases by emphasising disease reservoirs and advocating for a global approach, as well as focusing on individual patient well-being. Both government and private veterinarians play a key front-line role in national surveillance of zoonoses.
Government veterinarians play a vital role nationally in the management of notifiable zoonotic diseases and exotic or emerging infectious disease incursions. In the case of diseases with significant human health impacts they work cooperatively and collaboratively with public health authorities to manage disease occurrence and implement risk management strategies in animal populations.
4.Food Security
Veterinarians play a central role in ensuring the health and productivity of these animals, directly impacting the quality and quantity of food available to the nation. Improving livestock productivity through preventive healthcare, vaccination, and disease management helps reduce losses and ensures a reliable food supply. The livestock sector’s growth, supported by veterinary innovation, thus becomes a critical component of India’s path toward self-sufficiency in food production by 2047.
5.Social Benefits
Livelihood support for marginalized communities along with women empowerment through dairy and poultry entrepreneurship helped a lot to improve rural infrastructure.
6.Research and Education
Veterinarians are employed in various educational, diagnostic, research, and pharmaceuticals working on development of drugs, vaccines, pharmaceutical products, diagnostic tests, and biotechnological tools. This has led to the development of many effective diagnostic tools, tests, methods, antibiotics, vaccines, therapies and medicines. They have developed many improved breeds of livestock, and poultry to enhance production and productivity.
Veterinarians employed in research sector help to find new diagnostic tools and methods, treatment regimen, and preventive strategies for different health disorders of both human and animals. Vets are also involved in the production of drugs and biological products.
7.Nations Security
Veterinarians provide their services to Indian army through the Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC) and paramilitary forces like Border Security Forces( BSF),Indo-Tibetan Border Police ( ITBT) by providing logistic needs of the Armed Forces in the equine and canine field.
- Biosecurity
Veterinarians make sure that healthy animals are exported, imported, and distributed, thus preventing the risk of introducing detrimental, high-impact diseases into distant regions or neighboring countries. They are involved in quarantine facilities for the detection of exotic diseases, agro-terrorism and bioterrorism playing as key players on biodefense.
Conclusion
The livestock and veterinarian as projected by their roles discussed before can play pivotal role in ensuring a Viksit Bharat, through ensuring a sustainable economic growth, food and nutritional security, protecting from zoonoses and contributing for one health, biosecurity and many more. Therefore, the livestock sector and veterinarian workforce can significantly contribute to Indian economy and fulfil the dream of a developed India at 2047, if properly invested.
Jai Jawaan, Jai Kisaan, Jai Vigyan, Jai Hind!
