Stories by John Oba Abuja
Th e College of Veterinary Surgeon of Nigeria (CVSN) has graduated 108 fellows and 13 with diplomas at its third convocation and fi fth Investiture Award ceremonies in Abuja. Th ose awarded includes four membership and 36 for fellowship for Medicine, three for membership and 19 for fellowship on Pathology, fi ve membership, 28 for fellowship on Public Health and Preventive Medicine while one or membership and 25 fellowship.
Th e Provost of the College, Prof. Jarlath Umoh, during his address, urged the awardees to use the skills and expertise acquired to improve the profession. He said the College placed more emphasis on the acquisition of practical skills and expertise, through a structured training programme and examination in various specialty areas of veterinary medicine, which makes the trainee profi cient in a particular area of specialisation leading to consultant grade He however lamented that the college is faced with serious fi nancial problems saying Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) is not taking the college as priority programme.
“Th ere are no funds to pay resources person, to hold Academic Board meetings and congregation of fellows,” he said. He therefore called on the council to fund the college programme adequately until such a time that the college bill is passed for the college to be on it own. Giving the keynote address, with the titled: “Veterinary Education and Practice: Global and national Perspectives,” Prof. Daniel Adene, said the growing veterinary clients awareness has naturally started to place increasing demands on vet practitioners for qualitative service delivery. “Th is is particularly true of equine, canine, and poultry and livestock medicine practice, where the class of clients and the capital investor can, to say the least, mean a sure trouble for non-performer veterinarian.” He said demand for practice and competence is a very crucial requirement which is defi nitely not restricted to any single profession
