The faculty, staff and students of the College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana celebrated World Veterinary Day (WVD) on 25th April, 2020 in a unique manner.
Outreach approach using the ‘on-line’ platforms, were adopted to connect to and involve a large number of students and others in an awareness campaign. University’s “Institution Development Programme (IDP), organized Poster Making Competition and Quiz Competition on the international theme of “Environmental Protection for Improving Animal and Human Health” .
Dr. Parkash Singh Brar, Dean College of Veterinary Science, and also the Principal Investigator of the IDP revealed that WVD is celebrated round the globe on the last Saturday of April every year to promote animal welfare and also to educate masses about the importance of veterinary profession. The concept of ‘One Health’ has further become important amidst a massive global war against COVID-19. The fact that novel corona has emerged out of animals, warrants for even larger role of veterinary profession .The International theme for this year’s WVD as “Environmental Protection for Improving Animal and Human Health”. All stake holders need to work in unison to address to the emerging issues of environmental degradation, especially those related to animal kingdom.
Dr. Brar informed that there was an overwhelming response to the competitions. Pritam Singh, Ginnee and Purnima won awards in Poster Making and Rupinder Singh Jashandeep Singh, Gurjot Singh and Satnam Singh won in quiz competitions.
Dr. A S Nanda, Vice Chancellor congratulated the entire veterinary fraternity, and others associated to animal welfare, health and production. He exhorted the society to rise to the challenges emerging out of fast pace of developments. Dr. Nanda said that the honor and sheen of being World’s leading producer of milk, eggs, meat, and fish are lost while weighed against the losses of human lives, health, environment and economy because of the menace of stray cattle, dogs and monkeys, unorganized road-side slaughter and marketing of meat and inadequate veterinary research and support services in the country. He called for proactive participation of the scientists, the farmers, the civil society and the governments in addressing to the animal oriented environment issues so as to save ourselves from emerging human health problems.
