LAHORE: Faculty of Science of the University of Veterinary and Animals Sciences (UVAS) observed World Veterinary Day with the theme of “Veterinarians Are Essential Health Workers” at City Campus here on Friday.
Various activities including a walk, a seminar, a poster competition and a free medical treatment camp featured the day to create awareness about the welfare of animals in the community and showcasing the contributions of veterinarians to public health and admiration of their role for essential work among communities and stakeholders.
Dr Asim Mahmood Khan was the chief guest who along with UVAS Vice Chancellor Prof Dr M Younus led the walk while Dean Faculty of Veterinary Science Prof Dr Aneela Zameer Durrani, Emeritus Prof Dr Masood Rabbani, Emeritus Prof Tahir Yaqub and a large number of senior UVAS faculty members, students, industries representatives from public and private sectors participated. The walk started from in front of the VC office and culminated in front of the main lawn.
Later, a seminar was arranged to sensitize people about the importance of veterinarians, animal welfare, health and treatment. Addressing the students Prof Dr M Younus said that veterinarians played a vital role in safeguarding public health, ensuring food safety and food security and advocating for environmental sustainability. He also mentioned that efforts of veterinarians in disease surveillance, vaccination and promotion of agriculture practices significantly impact global wellbeing.
Dr Asim Mahmood Khan said that veterinarians played a vibrant role as health workers not only for the treatment of animals but also for ensuring food safety and food security. He said it was direly needed to work for the promotion of our local breed (Genetics) to enhance milk and meat production in Pakistan because milk and meat were the basic components of our diet.
Prof Dr Aneela Zameer Durrani said that it was necessary for the government to work on livestock policy for the betterment of the livestock sector. She said academia and industry collaboration was the best way to learn about professional skills for the bright future of students.
At the end, Prof Dr Masood Rabbani shared the result of poster contest winners. Earlier UVAS Department of Veterinary Medicine in connection with World Veterinary Day arranged Veterinary Aid Outreach Camp at Outdoor Hospital Similar activities were also held on other UVAS campuses to observe World Veterinary Day.
Meanwhile, Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Punjab (SPCA) arranged a prize distribution ceremony at UVAS of a photography competition held in connection with Animal Welfare Awareness with the theme of ‘Every Life Matters’. UVAS Official Photographer Basharat Ali Khan won the first position in this competition.