College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences
Thrissur : The 18th Veterinary Science Congress will begin here on November 13, against the backdrop of growing recognition that animal health is an integral component of public health.
Veterinary science plays a pivotal role in addressing some of the most pressing global challenges, including zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food safety, climate change and biodiversity conservation, according to IVA office-bearers. Diseases such as rabies, leptospirosis and avian influenza serve as reminders that human health cannot be protected without safeguarding animal health, said Dr V K P Mohankumar, president of IVA Keralam. The congress will begin with a special farmers’ seminar on the theme “From Knowledge to Income: Scientific Livestock Management and Emerging Opportunities”, said Dr Ally K, Dean of COVAS and chairperson of the organising committee. Dr S Maya, organising secretary of the congress and president of the IVA Mannuthy unit, said 156 research papers would be presented at the event under seven thematic areas, including “Basic Veterinary and Allied Sciences’’, “Farm Animal Health’’, “Climate Change’’, and “One Health and Wildlife’’.
Chief minister V D Satheesan will inaugurate the three-day event, to be held at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (COVAS), Mannuthy. The congress is being organised by the Keralam chapter of the Indian Veterinary Association (IVA), in association with the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU), the Department of Animal Husbandry and the Kerala State Veterinary Council (KSVC). Veterinary science is often perceived as a discipline confined to the treatment and care of animals.
However, its relevance today extends far beyond animal health, encompassing the health and well-being of society as a whole, he said.