Continuing Professional Development for Veterinarians Working in Africa

Abstract

Livestock production in Africa makes a vital contribution to livelihoods, food security, income generation and gross national product. With itsenormous forage production potential and currentlivestockpopulation of more than 191 million cattle, 340 million sheep and goats and 700 million poultry, Africa has a largely under-recognised and grossly under-exploited potential tosustainably supply the rising global demand for livestock products. Livestock service delivery personnel, lead by veterinarians, can play a major role in meeting this demand for increased livestock productionby acquiring updated relevant knowledge and extending that knowledge to livestock producers in the form of skilled practice and informed technical advice and to policy makers by way of effective advocacy.To achieve these outputs our current and future generations of veterinarians working in Africa needto update their “knowledge, skills and personnel qualities” by undertakingan appropriate form of Continuing Professional Development [CPD]. This need has been recognised by the Kenya Veterinary Board thatrequires veterinarians registered to practise in Kenya to undergo formal CPD programmes / activities measured by a points system. Each KVB registered veterinarian must accumulate at least 60 CPD points over three years with a minimum of 15 points per year. This paper describes an approach developed by the Department of Veterinary Services Kenya, with DFID funding, that can assistveterinarians meet KVB requirements by providing accessible, affordable and relevant CPD content by way of e-learning materials.