Mobile veterinary
clinic to go to farm

No money is required

Saleh Ahmed Husain: Animal husbandry is playing a major role in alleviating poverty and creating employment for the rural poor. Many people in the village earn extra income by keeping livestock. Again, many have set up large farms commercially. Thus, despite the prosperity of the livestock sector in the country, many animals died due to lack of immediate treatment. Although there are medical facilities in the Upazila Livestock Hospital, many farmers are deprived of services due to distance.
However, to solve these problems, mobile veterinary clinics are being set up in 360 upazilas of 61 districts of the country to provide veterinary services at the doorsteps of farms. As a result, this mobile clinic will reach the doorstep of the animal treatment farm with the doctor. You do not have to spend any money for this, the service is available for free.
It is learned that the mobile veterinary clinic distribution program of the Livestock Department officially inaugurated on February 9 with the aim of providing modern and emergency veterinary services at the doorsteps of farmers in 61 upazilas. Later it will be introduced in 360 upazilas in phases. The service is being operated under the Livestock and Dairy Development Project (LDDP).
There will be a steel box at the back to customize a car with the necessary logistics services for the treatment of animals. The portable machines will be in this car. The vehicle will have ‘Mobile Veterinary Clinic’ written on it. The Upazila Livestock Officer will sit with the Veterinary Surgeon in the middle of the vehicle. There will be a compounder or dresser next to the front driver. The car will have emergency service machines as well as medicines. So, if necessary, the doctor can give immediate help.
According to LDDP project sources, the total investment in the Livestock and Dairy Development Project (LDDP) under the joint financing of the World Bank and the Department of Livestock of the Government of Bangladesh is Tk 4,260 crore. The World Bank’s investment in the project is $500 million, the largest investment in the livestock sector.
The five-year project, which started in January 2019, will end in December 2023. The project aims to increase milk and meat production in the country, increase production of cows, bulls, goats, sheep and poultry, improve the skills of farmers through training and technology exhibitions, market connectivity for dairy marketing, product diversification, value addition, the project is working to increase entrepreneurial development and employment at the local level, increase the production of animal meat as well as raise awareness among producers, transporters, traders, artisans, consumers at all levels to ensure food safety.
Livestock and Dairy Development Project officials said that Bangladesh has come a long way in raising livestock in the last one decade. Farms of improved breeds of cows, goats, buffaloes, sheep, ducks, chickens, pigeons and turkeys are increasing day by day. In the past, these animals were reared in the corners of the backyard of the village for assistance in farming and in need of milk and eggs.
Poultry is now being produced and marketed on a large scale and with commercially improved breeds of cattle. Hundreds of veterinary doctors and large staff of the Department of Livestock are providing regular services at district, upazila and field level. The government is also providing free vaccinations, treatment and medicines for various animal diseases. But due to the complexity of the cow during delivery, it was not possible to build such a facility due to providing immediate services.
Special ambulances have been considered to provide emergency medical services to cattle and poultry. But it is not easy to bring animals like human beings, especially large animals of advanced breeds, to the medical center by ambulance.
For the first time in the history of the country, the government has taken initiative to facilitate veterinary services through mobile veterinary clinics or mobile veterinary clinics. These upazila-based mobile clinics will provide emergency medical and counseling services in remote areas of the village. From now on, if you call the Upazila Livestock Department from any part of the country, the modern clinic will reach the doorsteps of the farmers quickly.
According to the Department of Livestock, the mobile veterinary clinics will have diagnostic equipment, medicines and medical supplies. In addition to emergency treatment, physicians and skilled workers will routinely visit the unions and villages in their respective upazilas in clinic-vans and provide medical, medicine, counseling and training.
The work of this mobile veterinary clinic is starting soon in 360 upazilas of 61 districts of the country. Under the implementation of the Livestock Department of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, LDDP has made arrangements to supply mobile clinics with necessary equipment, vaccines and other medicines. In the meantime, 61 clinics have been prepared. The remaining clinics will be sent to the upazilas soon, the project office said.
Their confidence, investment and productivity will also increase to a great extent. At the same time, Bangladesh will go one step further in ensuring the same health for the people, animals and the environment as declared by the World Health Organization.
Livestock and Dairy Development Project (LDDP) Chief Technical Coordinator. Md. Ghulam Rabbani told that one of the services provided by our department is veterinary service. Medical services require physicians, as well as some logistical support. Because the animal may need X-rays, ultrasonograms. This means that without that logistical support, a physician will not be able to show full efficiency.
It takes a hospital for this, it is the Upazila Livestock Hospital. But if a marginal farm has a problem, it is difficult to bring its sick animal to the hospital. When the doctor takes the motorcycle, you can’t take it with so much logistical support. That’s why I want to develop the mobile veterinary clinic service.Physicians will then be at their doorsteps to provide services to the sick animals with all the logistical support, which will play a role in the emergency services that will be needed.
He added that just as it would take the medical service to the doorstep of the farm, it would also increase the mobility of the service provider. We bought 360 cars in three steps.
These will go to different upazilas of 61 districts. In the first lot we have bought 61, their BRTA related works have been completed. They will be delivered to different places from 9th February. We have applied to BRTA for 160 registrations of the second phase for their route permit, registration number, digital plate.
All the cars are finished. We have covered many districts in the first phase of distribution. These are being distributed considering the animal population, where the amount of disease is more, I am covering all the sections. No sections missed, more or less going. I have made 180 applications for registration and if they are received next month, they will also be distributed. In the meantime, the government has provided corporation mobile connection to all the upazila livestock officers, which is prescribed for that upazila.

It will be coordinated by the Upazila Livestock Officer. Each upazila has a veterinary surgeon and a few sub-assistant officers. There will be no crisis, it is a continuous process. The cost behind each car is Tk 53 lakh. Tk 200 crore has been allocated to buy 360 cars.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sham Rezaul Karim told Jago News that a revolutionary change has taken place in the country’s livestock sector. The livestock sector is an important partner in the irresistible development of the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Along with increasing the production of livestock, the trend of development in veterinary medicine has also started in the country. In this case, a new horizon is being unveiled.
For the first time in the history of the country, the government has taken initiative to facilitate veterinary services through mobile veterinary clinics. This mobile veterinary clinic is going to start work in 360 upazilas of 61 districts of the country soon. Our goal is to deliver emergency medical care to animals immediately.
He further said that these mobile clinics based in the upazila will provide emergency medical and counseling services in remote areas of the village. From now on, if you call the Upazila Livestock Department from any part of the country, the modern clinic will reach the doorsteps of the farmers quickly. The mobile veterinary clinics will have diagnostic equipment, medicines and medical supplies. For this the farmer does not have to pay any fee or money.

In addition to emergency treatment, doctors and skilled workers will routinely visit the unions and villages in their respective upazilas in clinic-vans. Give medical, medicine, counseling and training. With that, build livestock and medical database.