{Veterinary practitioners in the five East African Community member states are set for negotiations next February in Kigali, Rwanda, on how to move their services with minimal inhibition across the region.}
This is a follow up on the benefits of the EAC Common Market Protocol that came into force in 2010.
The protocol provides for free movement of goods; labour; services; and capital, significantly boosting trade and investment in the region.
Speaking during the closure of Uganda Veterinary Association (UVA) science symposium in Kampala, Uganda Veterinary Board (UVB) secretary, Florence Kasirye, said currently professionals’ movement across the region is limited.
“We want to create an environment where a Ugandan veterinary professional can move to Tanzania and work under the same terms and conditions like the citizen of Tanzania. Currently we have restrictions in professional movement and the need to acquire work permits,” said Kasirye.
Kasirye said during the meeting held early this year in Nairobi, it was agreed that each member state furnishes their peers with the status of veterinary operations within their borders, which all the five states have done.
“What is remaining now is the information about institutions that train veterinary professionals in the various member states. We need to know the training levels and standards so that there are minimum qualification requirements for one to practice as a veterinary officer in the region,” said Kasirye.
She added that a team of senior veterinary surgeons was put in place to move across the region’s selected veterinary training institutes to establish their standards and quality of vet education offered. The team’s findings are expected to be delivered to respective regulatory boards in January.
The planned initial Kigali negotiations have been okayed by five veterinary regulatory boards across EAC states – Tanzania Veterinary Council, Kenya Veterinary Council, Rwanda Veterinary Board, Burundi Veterinary Board and Uganda Veterinary Board.
Kasirye said in Uganda, the Veterinary Surgeon’s Act is not yet revised, making it the only EAC member state lagging behind.
“Younger nations like Burundi and Rwanda that never had the law now have it in place. We need to expedite the revision of Veterinary Surgeon’s Act so that we at par with our regional peers,” said Kasirye.
She added that the regional negotiations give Uganda an opportunity to look at her sister nations’ laws and see how to improve hers.
She said from January 15, 2015, Uganda Veterinary Board will hold a two-day sensitization workshop of Uganda veterinary professionals on the importance of moving their services across the region ahead of the February Kigali talks.
Kasirye said all the veterinary professionals will have to be registered with respective regulatory boards in their countries before they can be let to move freely across the borders.
Dr. Kenneth Wameyo, the Kenya Veterinary Association head of public relations, said Kenya has already held sensitization workshop for their veterinary professionals and are set for the Kigali meet. Wameyo attended the UVA science conference as a special guest.
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