The Animal Health Clinic at Kabul University provides an invaluable training opportunity for the university faculty and students and is also an important resource for the animals in Kabul. Since the clinic opened, Mayhew International together with other international NGOs have arranged for short-term teaching visits from international vets to augment the students’ curriculum. These visits have been invaluable for inspiring good working practices, higher veterinary standards and increased awareness of animal welfare issues. The presence of Western vets also encourages support and patronage from the burgeoning ex-pat community in Kabul, many of whom have pet animals.
The clinic now has a solid reputation among the local villages and sees a wide variety of animals presented for both medical problems and vaccination. Pregnancy testing of cattle and poultry with respiratory problems are among the most frequently seen. The small animal clinic is also growing, with cases equally divided between dogs owned by the local population and pets owned by the expat community. There is a high caseload of animals with skin diseases. The clinic routinely performs spays and castrations on both cats and dogs and have also begun sterilising some stray animals.
To ensure the safety of the animals during operations, the clinic has been equipped with a gas anaesthesia machine (which ultimately will also encourage sterilisation of more stray cats and dogs). However, the clinic does not have 24-hour electricity supply to keep vaccines and other medicines on-site; they are kept at the University and brought to the clinic daily in ice bags. The autoclave is also kept at the University. The equipment that they do have at the clinic requires 24-hour security.
Mayhew vet Dr Mohammadzai visited the Kabul clinic in August 2007 and was pleased with the progress. To maintain continuity and the level of excellence achieved, Mayhew International hopes to fund a Western vet to stay and teach at the Kabul clinic long-term, for at least a year. In 2008 we are also looking to send 2-3 Afghan vet
s for further training overseas. We also have a wish-list of request for equipment and medicines which are difficult to obtain in Kabul because their availability (usually imported) is unpredictable.
Continued training of veterinary surgeons in Afghanistan is key to success in improving the standard of veterinary care in the country. Without the tireless efforts of organisations working in collaboration with the local teams then very little will be accomplished to support this work.
In July 2009, The Mayhew Animal Home veterinary surgeon and Afghanistan national Dr. Abdul Jalil Mohammad Zai will be visiting the country to work at training the veterinary staff at the Veterinary clinic and also Kabul Zoo. We will report his progress here.
Please help us continue our work with the next generation of Afghan vets, to provide veterinary care to animals in Kabul and support the development of animal welfare in Afghanistan.