Addressing the Gap in Primary Animal Health Services: The Role of Veterinary Paraprofessionals

In many countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, the limited number of veterinarians in relation to livestock producers prevents access to services which in turn stifles productivity and prosperity. Veterinary paraprofessionals (VPPs) hold a crucial role in filling this gap across both the public and private sectors.
A Veterinary Paraprofessional is defined by the World Organisation of Animal Health (WOAH) as “a person who, for the purposes of the Terrestrial Code, is authorised by the veterinary statutory body to carry out certain designated tasks (dependent upon the category of veterinary para-professional) in a territory and
delegated to them under the responsibility and direction of a veterinarian”.