Speech by SMS Tan Kiat How at Singapore Vet Show 2023
Oct 13, 2023
Good morning to all. I am happy to join you for the Singapore Vet Show today.
The veterinary sector in Singapore has made significant progress over the past 5 decades. In the late 1950s, there were no known local vets actively practising in Singapore.
Today, we have more than 550 licensed vets in Singapore. Our vets contribute to society in many important ways, as animal doctors, researchers, educators, conservationists, and public health professionals.
Ensuring Pet and Animal Care and Welfarex
First, vets help to educate the public on preventive healthcare measures and best practices for pet care.
This includes developing guidelines for animal health and welfare, which serve as valuable resources for the community. The Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) of the National Parks Board (NParks) has worked with private vets and the SVA to develop guidelines on vaccination and prudent antimicrobial use.
AVS is currently working with SVA on guidelines for veterinary telehealth, which has become more prevalent since COVID-19.
Second, vets manage community animal populations in a humane, sustainable, and science-based manner. Our vets contribute to the national sterilisation programmes, having sterilised over 20,000 community cats and around 4,000 free-roaming dogs.
Safeguarding Public and Animal Health
Third, vets play an integral role in safeguarding public and animal health.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the importance of the One Health approach to pandemic preparedness. The One Health approach recognises the close interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health. Our Whole-of-Government One Health network takes a collaborative, multi-sectoral approach to disease detection, prevention, and control.
All of you here are an important part of these One Health efforts.
As the first point of care for sick animals, vets investigate, diagnose and manage animal diseases. Many of these animal diseases, such as bird flu, are zoonotic in nature and of great public health concern. Vets also contribute to food safety and assist to combat antimicrobial resistance, by ensuring that antibiotics are prescribed appropriately and responsibly to animals.
Besides vets, we must not forget the valuable contributions of other vet professionals, such as our vet nurses and technicians.
Celebrating Vet Nurses and Technicians
Today, we celebrate World Vet Nurse Day.
Vet nurses and vet technicians play indispensable roles in safeguarding animal health and welfare, by supporting vets in delivering the best care for our animals. Their duties range from monitoring animals’ vital signs, caring for hospitalised animals, to assisting with procedures and tests.
While the veterinary profession is rewarding, it also comes with its own set of challenges. Many in the vet profession have shared with us that they take pride in and enjoy their work. In fact, many of you join this profession because of your love and affinity to animals.
However, at the same time, many have shared with us that they face workplace pressures, leading to stress and even burnout for some cases. There can be better recognition of the profession, with more structured opportunities for growth and development.
It is important to take collective effort to address these challenges so as to maintain a competent and dedicated community of vet professionals. I am glad to see that the profession is stepping up to do so.
For example, we are bringing in good practices from abroad and exploring ways to provide more career opportunities for vet nurses and technicians.
Private clinics have been developing training and recognition programmes for vet nurses and technicians. These will complement training programmes offered by our local Institutes of Higher Learning like Temasek Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
At the SVA Jubilee Dinner last month, I met some vet technology students from Temasek Polytechnic. I was encouraged to see that they were passionate about being better stewards for pet care and were eager to connect with the vet community, especially their seniors who can mentor and guide them as they embark on their careers.
We have also built a community for our vet nurses and technicians. SVA’s Singapore Vet Nurses and Technicians Chapter was established in 2020 to create a network for vet nurses and technicians, to advance vet nursing standards and provide opportunities to nurture talents.
For example, the Chapter has formed a working group with AVS to develop Day One competencies for vet nurses and technicians. The Chapter also organises annual awards ceremonies to show appreciation for the contributions of our vet nurses and technicians.
Through this Chapter, AVS will continue working with SVA and the community to enhance career development opportunities for our vet nurses and technicians.
I am heartened to see that a series of talks and panel discussions have been curated for vet nurses and technicians at this year’s Vet Show. I encourage all of you to participate actively in these activities.
Establishment of a Veterinary Council
At last year’s Vet Show, I shared about how we have been actively engaging the vet community on how we can work together to advance the sector’s professional standards, practices and development.
Since 2020, we have been conducting a comprehensive review of standards in the vet sector, as part of the broader pet sector review. And over the past few years, we have been engaging a diverse range of stakeholders, including vets, vet nurses and technicians, and users of vet services,
Through a series of online surveys and focus group discussions, to better understand the key challenges faced by them, and ways to raise standards.
Through these engagements, we identified the need to: better recognise vet activities and the critical roles that vets and vet nurses and technicians play; continue to uphold professional standards in the vet sector; and encourage lifelong learning in the profession.
We have also studied what other jurisdictions are doing to enhance standards of their vet sectors.
For example, New South Wales in Australia has a Veterinary Practitioners Board, and the United Kingdom also has its own professional councils under the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, for vets and vet nurses.
Today, I am pleased to announce that we will take a major step forward in this effort. We intend to establish a Veterinary Council in Singapore by 2025.
The Vet Council will help to raise professional standards and practices in the vet sector, and provide better support for vet professionals, including vets and vet nurses and technicians.
The Vet Council will take on important roles, such as to: maintain a registry of vet professionals and the activities that they can carry out in Singapore; accredit vet training programmes and set continuing education requirements, to encourage vet professionals to continually improve and update their skills; develop and review sectoral standards to provide greater clarity on the ethics and standards required; as well as investigate and enforce against disciplinary cases relating to professional misconduct.
The Vet Council will be set up as a professional body under NParks. NParks will continue to engage with stakeholders on the Vet Council, and will share more information when ready.
Conclusion
In summary, the roles played by our vet professionals have become ever more important in recent years. Our vets are critical in ensuring pet and animal care and welfare, and safeguarding animal and public health.
As we commend your efforts and contributions, we also recognise the challenges faced by vet professionals, and are taking steps to further support the profession. With the establishment of the Vet Council, I am confident that we will be able to advance professionalism and standards in the sector.
I would like to congratulate CloserStill Asia Media, RVC, and SVA for making this show happen. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to our distinguished guest speakers and experts from all over the world.
There are many local speakers at this year’s Vet Show, and a large variety of booths by many important industry partners, including diagnostic laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, and surgical equipment providers. This speaks to the rising calibre of our local vet industry and professionals.
I hope that you will have meaningful exchanges of knowledge and best practices, on topics such as vet medicine, surgery, and nutrition.
Thank you, and I wish all of you a fruitful Vet Show.