African education programme success
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has launched a programme to provide CPD to vets in Africa in an effort to advance scientific knowledge across the globe.
The Sub Saharan African WSAVA Education Programme, joint-funded by the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) and its Netherlands counterpart, has been running throughout June and July.
Dr Sarah Boyd has been delivering lectures across Sub Saharan Africa on an array of surgical topics. Despite a power cut or two, African vets are finding the lectures very beneficial.
In Botswana and Zambia alone, Dr Boyd has covered orthopaedic conditions in growing dogs, assessment of lameness in dogs, general principles of fracture fixation, principles of GI surgery and principles and techniques for skin surgery and mast cell tumours.
BSAVA president, Professor Michael Day, said: "The success of these kind of WSAVA programmes has reinforced to me the potential major impact that BSAVA can have through a more global, 'outward facing' approach.
"We are now introducing a developing countries membership category for 2014 to help us stretch our remit of advancing scientific knowledge to a more international community of veterinary professionals."
Keen to engage with initiatives targeting developing countries, BSAVA has annually donated £10,000 in support of the WSAVA Sub Saharan African Education Programme.
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
