Makerere University has been nominated by Uganda Veterinary Association (UVA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) to host the 2016 World Veterinary Day celebrations 24th -30th April, 2016
Theme: “Continuing Education with a One Health Focus”.
This theme is very timely to our profession with current recognition and promotion of One Health Approaches and the dire need for implementing the Continuous Professional Development (CPD). Veterinary Continuing education is critically essential for veterinarians to keep their knowledge updated with the latest developments, skills, and new technologies required to enable them to efficiently control health risks at their animal source.
World Veterinary day (WVD) is an annual celebration recognized worldwide every year, on the last Saturday of April since 2000 spearheaded by the World Veterinary Association (WVA) and World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). It’s celebrated to show the contribution of the Veterinary profession in improving people’s livelihoods and the animal sector. The WVA is a federation of over 80 veterinary medical associations representing over 500,000 veterinarians across the world on six continents. They work to promote animal health, animal welfare, and public health globally with the understanding that human, animal, and environmental health are intricately interconnected, through food, infectious and zoonotic diseases, research to improve human and animal lives, encroachment on wildlife habitat, and the human-animal bond that has existed throughout time.
The celebrations at Makerere University will be lead by College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources & Biosecurity (COVAB) and School of Public Health (SPH), College of Health Sciences (CHS) with support from Uganda Veterinary Association (UVA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) in conjunction with other stakeholders.
The One week celebrations will cover a range of activities aimed at demostrating the role of veterinarians in promoting animal health, welfare and public health with one health focus. Activities will include:
1. A Fun Run dubbed “Run 4 Rabies” on Sunday 24th April 2016 to be flagged off at the Makerere Freedom Square by Hon. Bright Rwamirama, State Minister for Animal Industry, MAAIF
2. Exhibitions at the Makerere Freedom Square
3. Community Outreaches led by students
4. A One Health Symposium
5. Media Campaign (Press conference and Radio/TV Talkshows)
6. National Celebrations on Saturday 30th April, 2016 at the Makerere Freedom Square with H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, The President of Uganda as a Chief Guest
You are all cordially invited to join these celebrations!
One Health RUN for World Veterinary Day, Details accessed here: http://events.mak.ac.ug/events/world-veterinary-day-2016-run-4-rabies
Event Date
Sunday, April 24, 2016 – 8:00am to Saturday, 30 April 2016 – 5:00pm
a. 24th April, 2016: One Health Run for Rabies part of World Veterinary Day. Chief Runner: Hon State Minister for Livestock Industry Bright Rwamirama. The Run with Start from Makerere Freedom Square starting at 9:00am.
b. 25th April, 2016: Press Conference at Media Centre starting at 10:00am followed by a series of Radio Talk/TV shows
c. 26th-30th April 2016: Exhibition of veterinary and health pharmaceutical developments/agriculture/academic programs/research innovations and business enterprises including pharmaceutical companies at Makerere Freedom Square.
d. 26th -29th April, 2016:Rabies Community Outreach activities in all divisions of Kampala in conjunction with MoH and KCCA led by students from COVAB and SPH plus nationwide campaign for the rabies prevention
e. 27th-28th April, 2016: Veterinary Medical Camp in partnership with the Association of Small Animal Practitioners
f. 28th April, 2016: One day One Health Scientific symposium at Makerere Main Hall
g. 30th April, 2016: Official National Day Celebrations at Makerere Freedom Square with Chief Guest being His Excellence, the President Republic of Uganda.