Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 16
Director of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services (AH&VS) department, Dr. IP Khala, has underscored the need to devote more time to training of Veterinary Field Assistants (VFAs) to render veterinary services efficiently and effectively to the farmers.
The director also said training of VFAs needed to be well designed with more focus on practical knowledge and ground realities rather than theories to enable the field assistants to implement their knowledge and expertise in the field.
Addressing the second day of the ‘orientation programme’ cum 18th general conference of the Nagaland Veterinary Field Assistant Association (NVFAA), here at Town Hall, Khala observed that the more the VFAs are trained, the tasks of the veterinary doctors becomes easier.
Because during an animal operation, if the vet doctors go on doing the works of the VFAs, such as preparing equipment for operation and other laboratory works, then the vet doctor has little time to perform the real operation or diagnose diseases.
Khala also said if the field assistants are well trained and equipped with sound knowledge of latest equipment and medicines, then would be able to serve farmers better and in turn earn respect.
“If your treatment does not cure their animal sickness, if your artificial insemination (AI) is not able to conceive their animals, you will be a useless person for them (farmers) and they will never respect you or any other VFAs,” the director said.
The director said the duties and responsibilities of the VFAs are enormous and challenging. “In rural areas, you represent the department because when there is outbreak of disease or epidemic, you are the first authority to be reported of such cases to take remedial measures and control the epidemic,” Khala said.
He further informed that the AH&VS has adopted a policy to have separate service rules for the VFAs and the matter is at the final stage with the government. He said once the separate service rules gets approval, then there would be ample scope for VFAs in their service careers.
Joint director, AH&VS, Dr. Aomangyang Walling, briefed on the duties and responsibilities of VFAs as per Section 30 of the Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984. Accordingly, Walling said the minor veterinary services to be performed by VFAs include vaccination of animals, handling superficial surgical conditions like wounds, abscess, fistula and eruptions, providing first aid in non-infectious diseases such as constipation, tympany, impaction, diarrheaand dysentery, collection of samples in outbreaks and disease surveillance etc.
He reminded that all these duties are to be performed under the supervision of registered veterinary practitioners. Chief veterinary officer, Dimapur, Dr. Atem Longchar, said NVFAA as an association has set high standards and added he had gained lots of experience from his association with field workers.
President, Nagaland Veterinary Association (NVA), Dr. Ilang, said the department is alive because of the association and called for better cooperation between the department and the association.
Ilang also said since many Naga families are animal farmers, NVFAA which has a strength of 325 members should ponder on what the association has done for the benefit of farmers since its formation in 1981.
Earlier, NVFAA president, Tokiho Swu in his welcome address said one of the most important achievements in the field is the eradication of Anthrax and Rinderpest disease from the State. Tokiho urged the department officers to impart more skills and knowledge to the VFAs and also provide refreshers course outside the State.
