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MVA Conference and Workshop on Regulatory Environment 2017

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MVA held a highly successful conference and workshop on 27-28 November 2017. The event, kindly supported by the Lilongwe Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (LSPCA) was held at the Sunbird Lilongwe Hotel.

The conference/workshop reflected a rejuvenated Association, willing and capable of meaningful participation in policy development for the animal and related sectors in Malawi.

The conference was opened by Mr G Nyandule Phiri, Principal Secretary for Agriculture. It covered a wide range of subjects from Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome of fish, through trypanosomiasis, tuberculosis and important exotic diseases, to the intrigues of transferring wild elephants to a new home. Some abstracts are available here.

The conference was followed by a workshop which examined the regulatory environment for veterinary services and animal welfare in Malawi. The workshop made recommendations and suggestions in key areas affecting not only the veterinary profession but also all members of the general public who own or manage animals. Some key subjects included:

  1. Establishment of a Malawi Veterinary Surgeons Board to regulate veterinary practitioners and para-veterinary practitioners
  2. Priorities for review of legislation especially in response to the OIE report of the Veterinary Legislation Identification Mission
  3. A road map for modernising veterinary legislation
  4. Further development and release of the Animal Welfare Guidelines for Malawi

MVA recommended that in developing policy, DAHLD should define a comprehensive list of stakeholders for each task at hand, including individuals and institutions, and consult widely to ensure the widest range of inputs.

MVA set up working groups to assist the government in revising the Animal Welfare Guidelines for Malawi and after appropriate consultation, expects to present a final draft for endorsement by government early 2018.

MVA intends to continue to hold such event and to increase its profile in its dealings with government, statutory and commercial institutions.

22 December 2017