Understanding veterinary quackery in Uganda

Abstract

Uganda is a small country located in the East African region whose economic backbone is agriculture. In Uganda it takes three years and five years to graduate a para-vet and veterinarian, respectively. Upon qualification one is required by law to register with the Uganda Veterinary Board (UVB) which maintains a register of all qualified vets in Uganda. One of the challenges faced by the animal population is the scarcity of veterinary health workers in different areas which has resulted into emergence of unqualified veterinary officers.1 Veterinary Quackery is defined as “Practice by unqualified individual as required by law to offer veterinary services in form of animal treatment, distribution of restricted animal drugs and impersonation as a veterinarian”.2 This is a problem many clients (farm and companion animal owners) face in Uganda today. Unfortunately, because of the gap that has been created due to scarcity of qualified veterinary officers to animal owners in different areas of the country, this has given a golden opportunity to the proliferation of veterinary quacks who appeal to such growing demand of veterinary services. Quackery as a practice appeals to the emotions of animal owners and thus the professional bodies giving a deaf ear we may be empowering them something already happening in Uganda and Africa as a whole.