Recent floods in Odisha have given substance to the fact that veterinary department is the forerunner in reaching out to distressed people in marooned and inundated areas. It’s quite apparent that a basket of essential services like electricity, water supply, public distribution system and human and animal healthcare get disrupted during the floods. But service providers except veterinary staffs reach the affected areas only after floodwaters recede. Electricity connections are cut off during floods citing security reasons. Piped water supply gets damaged and use of drinking water is left to the mercy of tube-wells. Healthcare personnel are found in the villages only in a sunny day and food grains through public distribution system reach after the people are stranded for a couple of days. But veterinary services are being provided incessantly starting from evacuation of livestock to distribution of cattle feed along with vaccination and health check-up of animals. Veterinarians, braving all odds, negotiate their ways through turbulent waters to reach the doorsteps of livestock farmers.
Unlike their peers in other departments, veterinarians act as omniscient and omnipotent super-persons during natural disasters. They lend a hand in evacuation of animals, arrange green fodder, receive stock of cattle feed, go by boats to marooned places as custodians of feed and fodder, take the pain of egalitarian distribution of cattle feed by taming the aggrieved livestock farmers, maintain records, do vaccination and organise animal health camps in villages besides disposal of carcasses in certain instances. The activities are carried out while the floods are at their peak wreaking havoc in low-lying areas.
Work of veterinarians is archetypal in floods as in other disasters like flash floods, heavy rains, cyclones, super cyclones, etc., in terms of their contribution throughout the stages of disaster management, viz., preparedness, response and recovery. Relief measures through timely distribution of cattle feed and restoration activities in form of animal immunisation and health camps are praiseworthy jobs done by vets seeking special mention for appreciation. Life and livelihood have their strong say during the distress period and veterinarians cater to both the components through efforts in saving animal lives, maintaining public health and adding to the income of livestock farmers.
Besides disaster management, veterinarians uphold public health by acting as the prime movers in controlling diseases of zoonotic importance like anthrax, bird flu and Japanese Encephalitis. It’s quite hazardous to deal with natural disasters and zoonotic diseases with exiguous safety measures available at vets’ workplaces. But they never hesitate in extending support to the social cause and discharge their duties beyond capacity.
It’s quite disheartening that efforts of veterinarians often go unnoticed as they get less recognition in comparison to their hard work and risky working environment. Bundling to a mere handful of numbers as a community, vets are not so vocal and their voice fails to get echoed. There has been no media coverage of veterinarians leading relief operations and negotiating their ways through waterlogged areas by country-boats during the floods. It seems as if it has been taken for granted that vets don’t need any recognition. Not a single media report shows the plight of vets carrying tonnes of cattle feed to the villages, let alone appreciating them for scrupulous distribution.
It’s truly assuaging that the higher-ups in the Government are conspicuous in appreciating the good work of veterinarians. Motivational streaks from them imbibe enthusiasm among vets in marching ahead with sincerity which’s reflected in their work during floods.
But the bone of contention lies in recognition of vets as compared to their contribution to the society. Media in each section may publish the stories of veterinarians working with dedication for relief and restoration works in affected areas. As media has a tremendous effect on general public as well as workers, a couple of lines in black and white would lead a worker to the highest level of motivation. They would feel elated thinking their work is getting noticed and somebody is there to pat on the back. However, social media has already eulogised the good work of vets through regular tweets, Facebook postings and YouTube uploads.
Veterinarians always feel they have been deprived of the legitimate right of cadre restructure in a dignified way. A corrective restructure applied mutatis mutandis to the cadre in comparison to medical, engineering and State administrative services would do miracle and can brew a sense of pride among the vets, which could be the quintessence on equality of recognition compared to the quantum of contribution. It wouldn’t be considered as an act of offering freebies but can go a long way in societal recognition of vets, leading to more enthusiastic people remaining ready to tackle difficult situations during natural calamities.
There’s no denying the fact that vets are an integral part of societal reformation and nation building. Their contribution has been substantial in natural disaster management, public health issues, wildlife and livestock healthcare, provision of livelihood to farmers and the like. To recognise their tremendous contribution, let’s salute the vets, unsung heroes of our society.
(Dr Mahapatra is a veterinarian, fictionist and freelance columnist. Mobile: 9437313183, E-mail: madan.m3@rediffmail.com)