Grassroots Veterinary system: arrangement and consolidation needed

“Not only Conclusion No.54 of the Politburo but also Directive No.34 of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, Resolution No.100 of the National Assembly, Directive No. 4 of the Prime Minister and Resolution No. 2 of the Government require the Re-consolidation of the Veterinary system in accordance with the Veterinary Law”, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien (MARD) further shared about the grassroots veterinary system with Minister of Home Affairs Le Vinh Tan (MOHA) at the Government’s regular meeting in November 6.

Article 6 of the Veterinary Law specifies: “Central level has Department of Animal Health, provincial level - Veterinary Departments, district level - Veterinary Stations and communal level - Veterinary staff”. Recently, the National Assembly’s Committee for Science, Technology and Environment has supervised the implementation of the Veterinary Law. During the supervision, 11 of 36 provinces have committed in writing for the consolidation of veterinary system.

“Without the grassroots veterinary system, we will be incapable of controlling epidemics which result in serious consequences for animal husbandry development. Failure in controlling slaughter makes it impossible to ensure food hygiene and safety”, said Mr. Tien.

Vietnam has over 27,000 slaughter places which are not all under control. Without the grassroots veterinary system, we are not able to trace origins for export of animal products. Therefore, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien suggested MARD and MOHA to jointly instruct localities to organize the implementation of reconsolidation process, ensuring the spirit of the 2015 Veterinary Law.

Earlier in the day, in response to participants on the reconsolidation of the veterinary system, Minister of Home Affairs Le Vinh Tan said that, the process of organizing the veterinary system is under implementation. Currently, when an epidemic occurs, there are still some situations that cannot meet the needs of epidemic management and prevention.

MARD has developed a plan on the capacity improvement of veterinary managing agencies at all levels for the period 2021 – 2030 and requested localities to propose management models for the best development of the veterinary system.

Given such situation, Minister Le Vinh Tan hoped that all localities will soon contribute their initiatives to the plan of MARD so that both MOMA and MARD will promptly complete and issue next documents and regulations with an aim to developing a national veterinary system being capable of controlling epidemics in the coming time.