Sinshaw Mulugeta, Solomon Yokamo and Hayimanot Hayiso
Inefficient veterinary services remain one of the major challenges to the expansion of livestock sub-sector in Ethiopia. A survey was carried out, from November 2016 to April 2017, in Shebedino district of Sidama zone, south Ethiopia. The core objectives of the research were; to evaluate the delivery of veterinary services in compliance with the OIE recommendations; and to recommend feasible solutions which could help to improve the performance of veterinary services. A multi-stage random sampling technique was employed to select three peasant associations (PAs) for the study. A total of 100 households (livestock owners and community representatives) and 26 veterinary officers and administrative bodies were selected for the survey. Relevant data were collected through structured questionnaire, interviews, focus group discussions, and review of desk documents. The findings of the research revealed that the livestock resource in Shebedino district has been impeded by a wide range of rampant animal diseases. The majority of livestock owners (78%) preferred public veterinary services to combat the deleterious effects of animal health problems, professional skill, fairness of service charges and sustainability of veterinary services being the major determinants for service preference. On the contrary, private veterinary institutions were preferred and commanded due to the availability of relevant drugs and timeliness of veterinary services. Nonetheless, the findings disclosed the high cost of service, poor quality and limited sustainability of services as the major weaknesses of the private sector. Similarly, the public veterinary services were hampered most importantly by persistent limitation of financial resources to carry out routine clinical activities, livestock emergencies and epidemiological surveillance. Furthermore, considerable external influence on technical decisions; weak chain of command; limited interaction among concerned stakeholders; and the absence of public awareness about animal welfare were the identified weaknesses to effective administration of veterinary services in the study area. Based on the present findings, it is recommended that public veterinary services should maintain their technical freedom, acquire sufficient physical and financial resources to assume their responsibilities. Finally, privatization should be encouraged to create competitive environment for effective veterinary services.
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