UPDATE:
VETERINARY
SERVICES DURING LOCKDOWN
Dear Registrees,
It is with great relief to note that the Minister of Agriculture,
Ms. Thoko Didiza, announced today that veterinary services will be
allowed to continue during the upcoming lockdown period.
Despite such development, it will be incumbent on us as veterinary
professionals to exercise restraint and care when doing our
veterinary work during the lockdown period. It is indeed
unquestionable that our country is faced with one of the greatest
epidemics in our lifetime. We will therefore be expected to be seen
and act in a manner that reflects our sensitivity and recognition
of the gravity of this pandemic.
So as a veterinary professional, we expect you to make rational and
justifiable decisions on whether it is necessary to undertake
certain procedures that could perhaps be deferred to a later date.
We believe you have the professional and moral capacity to make
those decisions given the threat that Covid-19 is posing on our
nation, the economy of the country, and indirectly on our patients
as well. We expect you to exercise a sense of empathy and
responsibility to society when doing your work.
In the light of the above, we still urge you to adhere to basic
hygiene and precautionary measures related to dealing with the
virus. We have previously shared numerous precautionary measures
through our Mailchimp that you could undertake as a veterinary
professional to protect yourself and clients, and these include and
not limited to:
- Providing only
essential and necessary veterinary procedures
- Shortening your
working hours (where applicable)
- Trying to keep a
safe distance from other persons
- Allowing one
healthy person to accompany the pet
- Regularly cleaning
and disinfecting working areas such as door handles, reception
counters, etc.
- Providing
disinfectants to clients and staff
- Ensuring that staff
and yourself wear protective clothing or devices to minimise
risk of infection
- Sending home staff
that do not need to be physically at work and possibly
allowing them to work from home
- Reducing or
stopping visiting hours for hospitalised patients
We trust
and believe you have the capacity and professional integrity to
deal with this lockdown situation.
From Council, we wish you all the best and strength forward!
Regards
Dr Alfred Kgasi
President: SAVC
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