South Africa is losing about 100 skilled vets to emigration every year, with only 140 qualifying annually.
A massive shortage of veterinarians in the country has left vacancies in clinics, especially in rural areas, and vets are leaving the country en masse.100 veterinarians leave the country every year to work overseas, when only about 140 qualify annuallyPaul van der Merwe, president of the South African Veterinary Association , said the crisis is particularly felt in rural areas, where there is often a lack of equipment or medicines, and clinics frequently close down.
Even if one counts every student vet and other people registered with the Council, the total is still just over 100 per million people, far short of the international standard. Collins said that being a vet often takes a toll on mental well-being, and depression, anxiety, and burnout are some of the reasons vets pull out of the profession.
Collins said that the “ruthlessness” of livestock farming, the danger of the work, the lack of facilities, compassion fatigue, and financial unpreparedness all take a toll on the mental health of many veterinary professionals.He said that some vets, within their first few years, did not expect to have to put so many animals down.
On 23 July, Dipepeneneng Serage, deputy director-general of Agricultural Production, Biosecurity and Natural Resources Management in the Department of Agriculture, There are several reasons for the shortage of vets, according to van der Merwe. The first reason is remuneration; vets are often underpaid.
After their final year, when vets do their compulsory community service, some end up in rural areas with basic facilities with limited or no access to medicine or equipment.
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