South Africa has a vet crisis
Hundreds of skilled veterinarians leave South Africa every year, which not only puts the remaining professionals under severe pressure but could also threaten the country’s food security.
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen says his department is working to improve the working conditions of animal health practitioners in the country to prevent the skills from leaving the country.
South Africa is grappling with a critical shortage of professionals in this essential field, which has far-reaching implications for animal health, biosecurity, and food security.
Steenhuisen said veterinarians face challenges, including insufficient resources and medicines, inadequate remuneration, and mounting mental health concerns.
He emphasised the gravity of the issues and acknowledged the indispensable role played by veterinarians in safeguarding the country’s agricultural sector.
The lack of veterinarians extends beyond pet care and the health of domestic animals. Veterinarians regularly monitor the safety of animal protein.
Thus a lack of these skills poses a risk to food safety and security, with at least three or four veterinarians involved in making sure that animal protein is safe for people to consume.
“Veterinarians are a cornerstone of South Africa’s agricultural success, and without addressing the systemic issues they face, we risk jeopardising not only their well-being but the nation’s food security,” said Steenhuisen.
The Minister said he wants South Africa to become a place where animal health practitioners can thrive and feel valued.
“South Africa currently has 4,000 registered veterinarians, far below the international benchmark, which is between 200 and 400 veterinarians per million people. At least a hundred veterinarians emigrate annually in search of better opportunities abroad,” the Minister said.
In his efforts to ensure comprehensive input from all relevant parties, Steenhuisen is expected to meet with nine provincial agriculture MECs, including senior officials from the department, the South African Veterinary Association, and key industry experts to address the concerns and avert a potential crisis in the profession and the agricultural sector.
The massive shortage of veterinarians in the country has left vacancies in clinics, especially in rural areas, according to GroundUp.
About 100 veterinarians leave the country every year to work overseas, when only about 140 qualify annually, according to recent figures by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD).
Paul van der Merwe, president of the South African Veterinary Association (SAVA), said the crisis is particularly felt in rural areas, where there is often a lack of equipment or medicines, and clinics frequently close down.
According to an answer given in Parliament by the Minister of Agriculture, there were 455 state veterinary positions in 2023. Of these, 129 (about 28%) were vacant. This compares to a 35% vacancy rate in 2019.
The situation is most serious in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.
The Department of Home Affairs added veterinarians and veterinary nurses to South Africa’s critical skills list at the end of 2023 in a bid to draw the needed skills to the country.
This came after the skills were initially removed from the list, exacerbating the crisis. Industry associations have argued that incoming veterinarians should also be exempted from conducting community service to speed up the process.
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