The project aims to enhance the capabilities of Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) in Cambodia. FB
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and Veterinaires Sans Frontieres International (VSF-Int) have launched a joint initiative, backed by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA).
The project aims to enhance the capabilities of Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) in Cambodia.
Titled “Strengthening the enabling environment for CAHWs through the development of competency and curricula guidelines”, the programme hopes to reverse the declining numbers of village veterinarians.
Sorn San, deputy director of the General Directorate of Animal Health and Production, addressed the graduates of a workshop on “Sustainability Factors of CAHWs in Cambodia” in Phnom Penh on October 9.
He said that over the past decade, the number of CAHWs has dwindled significantly due to various factors, including ageing, migration, job changes and Covid-19.
“During this period of decline, we didn’t recruit new veterinarians because of the Covid-19 crisis. Currently, there are over 1,900 village vets nationwide, with some active and others not,” he said.
The newly launched project will offer valuable insights and guidelines to bolster the capacity of CAHWs, he added.
Min Sophoan, representative of the Agronomes et Veterinaires Sans Frontieres (AVSF) – also known as Agronomists and Veterinarians Without Borders – said they had been chosen to lead a case study in Cambodia.
“Research experts gathered and analysed data from July to September, and now AVSF is holding a workshop with key stakeholders to conclude the study.
“We hope participants will better understand the WOAH and VSF-Int project. We also aim to apply the observed trends from our study nationwide,” he said.
As part of its commitment, WOAH is formulating guidelines to enhance the quality and consistency of CAHWs’ training, offering advice on veterinary services and guiding committees on the development of national training programmes.
VSF-Int is tackling challenges concerning favourable environments for CAHWs, focusing on instruction, access to veterinary resources and establishing business models.
The organisation is currently conducting comprehensive studies in four countries – Cambodia, Burundi, Niger and South Sudan, with the objective of identifying the strengths and weaknesses of CAHWs.
The end goal is to present recommendations on improving the sustainability of the services offered.
