Veterinary Services
ENHANCING THE CAPACITIES OF LOCAL VETERINARIANS TO REACTIVATE AND PROVIDE VETERINARY ASSISTANCE
The livestock sector plays a crucial role in the economies of many Middle Eastern countries, especially in Syria where livestock husbandry represents the backbone of the rural Syrian communities, since livestock breeding isn’t just one of the main livelihood resources for people, but also heritage, identity and legacy. Ruminants such as sheep and goats are an essential source of meat and milk as well as a key component of cultural practices.
Even though, important Veterinary services as vaccination campaigns have collapsed in Northern Syria, qualified veterinary staff emigrated and the few remaining veterinarians are overwhelmed by the needs of thousands breeders. The spread of livestock diseases and the lack of access to treatment puts a strain on livestock farming and threatens animal health throughout the region. In this sense, it was necessary to reactivate basic veterinary services by providing the necessary equipment for the cold chain and technical support to organise the vaccination of thousands of animals. Technical training was also provided to local veterinarians, but also directly to farmers. The rehabilitation of the veterinary services follows the underlying approach of enhancing the capacities of the local actors including local technicians and veterinarians to reactivate and provide veterinary assistance services to breeders in rural communities, hence ensuring the long-term sustainability of these services.
During the years, veterinary services have been consolidated resulting in a significant decrease of animal losses due to diseases, reporting a positive impact on the health and well-being of animals, as well as on the livelihoods and health of the communities that rely on them. CIHEAM Bari’s strategy is to create a sustainable and participatory veterinary service making it not just a one-time initiative but a long-term solution that can address the current needs of rural communities.
CIHEAM Bari interventions in North East Syria follow a holistic One Health approach with the aim of safeguarding both animal and human health, ensuring efficient services:
- planning and carrying out vaccination campaigns which are a crucial tool for preventing and controlling animal diseases;
- reactivating veterinary services and establishing clinics and laboratories to perform analysis, treatments and surgeries, as well as vaccinations. The veterinarian laboratory for diagnosis and animal treatments allows local veterinarians to perform analysis on the most common animal diseases and to accomplish clinical examinations and appropriate diagnosis;
- introducing Mobile Veterinary Clinics, a service offered to the community and, in particular, to breeders unable to reach the nearest veterinary clinic, which can be up to 60 km away. The Mobile Clinic allows local veterinarians to provide assistance and veterinary care to breeders directly in the field. In remote areas where veterinary clinics may be scarce or difficult to reach, a mobile veterinary clinic becomes a lifeline for farmers and breeders. It enables timely treatment of illnesses and injuries, which is essential for maintaining the health and productivity of livestock.
- building capacities of veterinary staff to enhance local capabilities in effective disease diagnosis and technical assistance for the operational management of the facilities provided by international veterinary experts. Transferring knowledge on specific veterinary topics from International Experts to local technicians through RTA (remote technical assistance) and, then, from the local technicians to the rural communities addresses and tackles real problems on the ground.
- setting up a local Agri-Veterinarian Technician Association, responsible to manage the vet clinics/ laboratories and the services ensuring their appropriate long-term use. Their mandate is to support the veterinary health sector in Raqqa Governorate, enhancing its role in providing health and veterinary
services for livestock, and contributing to their development within the framework of applicable laws. It will engage in scientific research, educational initiatives, and the formulation of regulations to improve the standards of the veterinary profession.
- Introducing innovative tools for telemedicine services for the local veterinarians, which will be provided by international experts and facilitated through a tailor-made mobile/web-based application, “VETSYRIA”. The local Veterinarians inside Syria will be in direct and continuous contact with dedicated international experts, exchanging medical information electronically to improve animal disease detection and diagnosis on professional level and improve, eventually, proper animal treatment. An innovative step for the veterinarians in the area who become part of this vet network and exchange, in a fast and simple way, of professional and technical information, among them locally as well as with the experts outside Syria.
KEY NUMBERS
796,500
Animal Vaccinations administered
10
Veterinary services set up
3
Veterinary clinics and annexed laboratories in Eastern Raqqa
Mobile Veterinary clinics in Eastern Raqqa
1
3
Veterinary Laboratory in Raqqa
“Without sheep, we cannot live, as well as agriculture - we cannot live without them. Sheep are our lives. We drink their milk and Ayran and eat their cheese, all our children eat from them”
“Ever since, farmers here took care of animals; livestock are the basis of this society and we need them.”