Veterinary medicine education and services in Sudan: Challenges and potential solutions

Saber Y. Adam; A. E. Hamza; Mohammed H. Jammaa; Hassan H. Musa; Davies M. Pfukenyi; Demin Cai; Abdelkareem A. Ahmed

doi:10.31893/avr.2023018

Keywords:

veterinary profession

Abstract

The livestock sector plays a critical role in the Sudanese economy and the welfare of the whole population. Despite the sector’s significant contribution to peoples’ livelihoods, the veterinary services and education environment has always faced daunting challenges in Sudan. However, there is no literature on the challenges faced by the veterinary sector in the country. The purpose of this study was to identify and document veterinary services and education challenges and their potential solutions in Sudan. A structured questionnaire survey was conducted and hosted online on the Microsoft Forms platform. The questionnaire comprised closed questions on participants’ demographics, veterinary profession challenges and potential solutions that were distributed through social media. A total of 357 participants identified the challenges and solutions through the prioritization of 30 and 29 multiple responses, respectively. The main top challenges identified were not giving priority to the veterinary sector (57.4%), migration of veterinary professionals (55.7%), inadequate allocation of resources to the veterinary sector (53.8%), practice of veterinary medicine by nonprofessional people (52.4%), and weak leadership and management (50.4%). The leading solutions suggested included training and capacity building (76.8%), spreading the culture of animal welfare (62.7%), application of the Animal Welfare Law (62.5%), giving priority to the veterinary sector (61.6%), and improving healthcare infrastructure (61.1%). We conclude that most problems and their solutions lie within the prioritization of the veterinary profession, veterinary professional migration, allocation of resources, leadership and management, culture and application of the Animal Welfare Law. These should be accorded the highest priority for better veterinary profession outcomes.
References
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2. Adams EW (2004) A historical overview of African American veterinarians in the United States, 1889- 2000. Journal of veterinary medical education 31:409-13.
3. Adam SY, Jaafar S F, Hassan H M, Taha H M, Abdelkareem A A (2023) Working horses welfare assessment and their owners perceive in middle and north Darfur states Sudan. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 259:105834.
4. Agajie T, D Tamirat, A Pearson, T Temesgen (2000) Socio-economic circumstances of donkeys use and management in the rural and urban areas of central parts of Ethiopia. Proceedings of the Workshop on Promoting the Peri-Urban Livelihood through Better Donkey Welfare. Debre-zeit, Ethiopia pp: 16-28.
5. Ahmed MH, Husain NE, Ibn Auf A, Osman WN, Almobarak AO, Elshiekh M, Ahmed M (2021) Academic medicine in Sudan: the challenges and solutions. Journal of Public Health and Emergency 6.
6. Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges [AAVMC]. AAVMC Mission Statement <http://www.aavmc.org/about/mission.htm>. Accessed 03/22/07. AAVMC, Washington, DC, n.d.
7. Booth M, Rishniw M, Kogan LR (2021) The shortage of veterinarians in emergency practice: A survey and analysis. Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care 31:295-305.
8. Buzzeo J, R.D, WM (2014) The (2014) RCVS Survey of the Veterinary Profession, Brighton: Institute for Employment Studies.
9. Dye CF, GA, Garman AN (2015) Exceptional leadership 16 critical competencies for healthcare executives. In:Exceptional Leadership: Sixteen Critical Competencies for Healthcare Executives.
10. Enticott G (2017) Veterinary migration: why do vets move abroad? The Veterinary record 180:282-283.
11. Economides P (2007) the role of veterinary statutory bodies and associations in the promotion of the veterinary profession and upgrading of veterinary services.
12. FAO (2015) AQUASTAT Country Profile – Sudan. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Rome, Italy.
13. FAO (2018) FAO Stat Data. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization.
14. Freeman LC (2005) Rx for Recruitment and Retention of Veterinarian Scientists: Money, Marketing, Mentoring. Journal of veterinary medical education 32:328-336.
15. Grauer GF (2005) Recruiting faculty with clinical responsibilities: factors that influence a decision to accept an academic position. Journal of veterinary medical education 32:366-72.
16. Harris RK, CG Rousseaux (2005) The supply versus demand gap in veterinary pathology. Canadian Veterinary Journal 46:575.
17. Heath TJ (1999) Costs of studying veterinary science: a national survey of fourth year veterinary students. Australian veterinary journal 77:584-587.
18. Larson RL (2004) Food animal veterinary medicine: leading a changing profession. Journal of veterinary medical education 31:341-6.
19. Lloyd JW (2013) Financial Dimensions of Veterinary Medical Education: An Economist's Perspective. Journal of veterinary medical education 40:85-93.
20. MARF. (2009) Statistical Bulletin for Animal Resources No 19, 2009. Khartoum: Ministry of Animal Resources and Fishers.
21. McKinney WP, Wesley GC, Sprang MV, Troutman A (2005) Educating health professionals to respond to bioterrorism. Public health reports 120:42-47.
22. Mosadeghrad AM and Ferdosi M (2013) Leadership, job satisfaction and organizational commitment in healthcare sector: proposing and testing a model. Materia socio-medica 25:121-126.
23. Murray AL, WM Sischo (2007) Addressing educational challenges in veterinary medicine through the use of distance education. Journal of veterinary medical education 34:279-85.
24. Oleribe OO, Momoh J, Uzochukwu BS, Mbofana F, Adebiyi A, Barbera T, Williams R, Taylor-Robinson SD (2019) Identifying Key Challenges Facing Healthcare Systems In Africa And Potential Solutions. International journal of general medicine 12:395-403
25. Pearson R, Simalenga T, Krecek R (2003) Harnessing andHitching Donkeys, Mules and Horses for Work.
26. RSCM (2017) "Republic of The Sudan The Council of Ministers."
27. Sinclair M, Lee N, Hötzel M, Catalina M, Luna T, Sharma A, Idris M, Derkley T, Li C, Islam M, Iyasere O, Navarro G, Ahmed A, Khruapradab C, Curry M, Burns L, Marchant J, Swanson J, Roest K, Mj H (2022) International Perceptions of Animals and the Importance of Their Welfare. Frontiers of Agriculture in China 3.
28. Swan G and N Kriek (2009) Veterinary education in Africa: Current and future perspectives. The Onderstepoort journal of veterinary research 76:105-14.
29. Wilson R (2018) Livestock in the Republic of the Sudan: Policies, production, problems and possibilities. Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Veterinary Science 2.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Adam, S. Y., Hamza, A. E., Jammaa, M. H., Musa, H. H., Pfukenyi, D. M., Cai, D., & A. Ahmed, A. (2023). Veterinary medicine education and services in Sudan: Challenges and potential solutions. Applied Veterinary Research, 2(4), 2023018. https://doi.org/10.31893/avr.2023018

[1] Adams SB, Schulz K, Hardy J, Bliss S, Lipowitz A, Baxter G, Meagher D, Fingeroth J, Howe L, Grant B, Probst C, Loew A (2005) Retention of surgery specialists in academia: a critical agenda. Journal of veterinary medical education 32:404-415.

[2] Adams EW (2004) A historical overview of African American veterinarians in the United States, 1889- 2000. Journal of veterinary medical education 31:409-13.

[3] Adam SY, Jaafar S F, Hassan H M, Taha H M, Abdelkareem A A (2023) Working horses welfare assessment and their owners perceive in middle and north Darfur states Sudan. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 259:105834.

[4] Agajie T, D Tamirat, A Pearson, T Temesgen (2000) Socio-economic circumstances of donkeys use and management in the rural and urban areas of central parts of Ethiopia. Proceedings of the Workshop on Promoting the Peri-Urban Livelihood through Better Donkey Welfare. Debre-zeit, Ethiopia pp: 16-28.

[5] Ahmed MH, Husain NE, Ibn Auf A, Osman WN, Almobarak AO, Elshiekh M, Ahmed M (2021) Academic medicine in Sudan: the challenges and solutions. Journal of Public Health and Emergency 6.

[6] Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges [AAVMC]. AAVMC Mission Statement <http://www.aavmc.org/about/mission.htm>. Accessed 03/22/07. AAVMC, Washington, DC, n.d.

[7] Booth M, Rishniw M, Kogan LR (2021) The shortage of veterinarians in emergency practice: A survey and analysis. Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care 31:295-305.

[8] Buzzeo J, R.D, WM (2014) The (2014) RCVS Survey of the Veterinary Profession, Brighton: Institute for Employment Studies.

[9] Dye CF, GA, Garman AN (2015) Exceptional leadership 16 critical competencies for healthcare executives. In:Exceptional Leadership: Sixteen Critical Competencies for Healthcare Executives.

[10] Enticott G (2017) Veterinary migration: why do vets move abroad? The Veterinary record 180:282-283.

[11] Economides P (2007) the role of veterinary statutory bodies and associations in the promotion of the veterinary profession and upgrading of veterinary services.

[12] FAO (2015) AQUASTAT Country Profile – Sudan. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Rome, Italy.

[13] FAO (2018) FAO Stat Data. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization.

[14] Freeman LC (2005) Rx for Recruitment and Retention of Veterinarian Scientists: Money, Marketing, Mentoring. Journal of veterinary medical education 32:328-336.

[15] Grauer GF (2005) Recruiting faculty with clinical responsibilities: factors that influence a decision to accept an academic position. Journal of veterinary medical education 32:366-72.

[16] Harris RK, CG Rousseaux (2005) The supply versus demand gap in veterinary pathology. Canadian Veterinary Journal 46:575.

[17] Heath TJ (1999) Costs of studying veterinary science: a national survey of fourth year veterinary students. Australian veterinary journal 77:584-587.

[18] Larson RL (2004) Food animal veterinary medicine: leading a changing profession. Journal of veterinary medical education 31:341-6.

[19] Lloyd JW (2013) Financial Dimensions of Veterinary Medical Education: An Economist's Perspective. Journal of veterinary medical education 40:85-93.

[20] MARF. (2009) Statistical Bulletin for Animal Resources No 19, 2009. Khartoum: Ministry of Animal Resources and Fishers.

[21] McKinney WP, Wesley GC, Sprang MV, Troutman A (2005) Educating health professionals to respond to bioterrorism. Public health reports 120:42-47.

[22] Mosadeghrad AM and Ferdosi M (2013) Leadership, job satisfaction and organizational commitment in healthcare sector: proposing and testing a model. Materia socio-medica 25:121-126.

[23] Murray AL, WM Sischo (2007) Addressing educational challenges in veterinary medicine through the use of distance education. Journal of veterinary medical education 34:279-85.

[24] Oleribe OO, Momoh J, Uzochukwu BS, Mbofana F, Adebiyi A, Barbera T, Williams R, Taylor-Robinson SD (2019) Identifying Key Challenges Facing Healthcare Systems In Africa And Potential Solutions. International journal of general medicine 12:395-403

[25] Pearson R, Simalenga T, Krecek R (2003) Harnessing andHitching Donkeys, Mules and Horses for Work.

[26] RSCM (2017) "Republic of The Sudan The Council of Ministers."

[27] Sinclair M, Lee N, Hötzel M, Catalina M, Luna T, Sharma A, Idris M, Derkley T, Li C, Islam M, Iyasere O, Navarro G, Ahmed A, Khruapradab C, Curry M, Burns L, Marchant J, Swanson J, Roest K, Mj H (2022) International Perceptions of Animals and the Importance of Their Welfare. Frontiers of Agriculture in China 3.

[28] Swan G and N Kriek (2009) Veterinary education in Africa: Current and future perspectives. The Onderstepoort journal of veterinary research 76:105-14.

[29] Wilson R (2018) Livestock in the Republic of the Sudan: Policies, production, problems and possibilities. Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Veterinary Science 2.

Abstract

References

How to cite