The Sindh Minister for Livestock, Abdul Haq Bhurt, has announced that 2,000 veterinary doctors will be recruited to meet the shortage of veterinary doctors in the veterinary hospitals and to provide better facilities to the breeders in Sindh.
This he announced while addressing a training workshop of veterinary doctors organised by 'Livestock Management' at local hotel. He said that this plan would help in reducing unemployment of veterinary graduates on the one hand and generate the livestock related business activities, on the other.
He added that the purpose of this project was to eradicate poverty from rural areas. He said that his department has prepared a scheme under the title of 'Benazir Youth Programme' for skill developments/capacity building of youth and enable them to earn their livelihood on their own.
He regretted that at present 400 veterinary hospitals are without building and added that he has approached to the provincial government for getting sufficient funds to accommodate the staff of these veterinary hospitals. However, he also admitted that the breeders of Sindh have less access to veterinary doctors and hospitals, and directed the veterinary management to be proactive and serve the breeders with the missionary spirit rather than as government officials.
He said that Pakistan, and especially Sindh, was rich with animal resources, "and there is no doubt that we could be self-sufficient in production of milk and meat and other livestock oriented products/by-products if the veterinary management worked honestly. He said that it was the mission of Benazir Bhutto to raise the living standard of the people of the country, and vowed that this mission would be completed in letter and spirit.
Earlier, the Secretary, Livestock Management, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, stressed the need to create awareness among the breeders in addition to providing treatment facilities to animals. The Director of Animal Husbandry, Dr Ghulam Sarwar, in his address of welcome highlighted the aims and objects of the Seminar and said that this capacity building oriented workshop would be the cause of maximum and efficient veterinary facilities to the breeders at their doorstep.
Dr Manzoor Hussain, Dr Amir Bin Zahoor and Dr Javed Arshad delivered lectures to the veterinary doctors about the veterinary diseases and treatments. The Provincial Minister also launched a veterinary book of veterinary related problems and solutions compiled by the management for the breeders.