Veterinary professionals across the globe have been described as key players on bio-defense, national security, food chain safety and animal and human welfare.

This was the submission of AIG Dr.Aishatu Abubakar, Force Animal Branch Headquarter, Guest Lecturer at the 12th College of Veterinary Medicine (COLVET) FUNAAB and President, Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN).

In her Lecture titled,  “The Role of Veterinarians in National Security”, the number one Veterinarian in the country noted that the profession plays significant roles in national security, such as food security and environmental security among others.

According to the AIG, security is a broad subject encompassing several factors cutting across the different needs of people which include shelter, food, good health, standard living conditions and protection of individuals against crime .

 AIG Abubakar described a Veterinarian as “A person registered or licensed by the relevant Veterinary statutory body to practice Veterinary Medicine/Science in his/her country.

According to her, his roles are beyond clinical practices related to cure, prevention, or alleviation of pain and treatment of injuries in animals”.

She highlighted the roles of a Veterinarian in Food Security, noting  that the healthy and productive Livestock play an essential role in food production, income generation, job creation, economic growth and poverty alleviation.

She added that Livestock contributes about 40 percent of agricultural GDP

. The VCN President added that the Veterinarian through his understanding of prevention and control of zoonoses and food safety issues play a very significant role in the provision of Food Security which is a vital component of national security.

The general role of the veterinarian is to organise a technical and regulatory environment in which health risks can be identified and controlled to limit impact on livestock production and humans.