Indonesia Needs More Veterinaries :Academcian

Yogyakarta (Antara) - Indonesia still needs many veterinaries because the existing ones have yet to meet the demand, noted Joko Prastowo, the dean of Gajah Mada University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. "Indonesia still needs 8 thousand more veterinarians to add to the existing 12 thousand in the country," Prastowo stated here on Thursday. The dean remarked that veterinary physicians, colloquially called vets, are primarily required to treat disease, disorder, or injury in animals, which includes diagnosis, treatment, and aftercare. According to Prastowo, the need for vets in Indonesia is very high in numerous fields, including food technology, animal welfare, quarantine, education, research, marketing, publication, and economy. "Veterinary education in Indonesia has been established for more than a century, but the number of vets in the country is still very small," he added. Prastowo pointed out that there are 10 colleges in Indonesia that offer veterinary education, but till date, they are unable to churn out a large number of vets. "The Gajah Mada University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine since the past 68 years up to this day has produced just 4,342 vets, but the number is still too small to meet the demand," he reiterated. (*)