The Ghana Veterinary Medical Association (GVMA) has said mass departure abroad by local veterinary doctors is threatening the survival and sustainability of Ghana’s food systems, livestock value chain and weakening the fight against zoonotic diseases.

President-GVMA Dr Joseph Abuh told B&FT that though the situation has been persisting since implementation of the single spine salary structure, the mass migration became worse as a result of deteriorating salaries with no additional allowances or incentives over the last five years.

“Our members leave en masse to Australia, UK, New Zealand and other countries without hesitation when such positions become available. This does not portend well for the foreseeable future,” Dr Abuh said.

Explaining further, he noted that the modus operandi is simple, adding: “Most young veterinary doctors upon graduation from school join the Veterinary Council and GVMA, get a year of working experience and leave to work abroad”.

“The country uses its resources to train these experts and they leave to serve other nations. This is not the best for our slaughter-houses, the country’s borders and the entire livestock sector,” Dr Abuh expressed worriedly.

The numbers

There is currently a disproportionate amount of veterinary officers across Ghana, as the entire country has only 83 veterinary doctors against the required 700.

A chunk of these doctors are deployed to the Wildlife Division and Fisheries Commission, according to GVMA.

For instance, there is only one veterinary technician stationed at the Elubo boarder – who also rotates between other key stations in the Western zone.

This phenomenon, GVMA, said is making the country susceptible as an entry-point for animal diseases, as surveillance wanes and monitoring dwindles due to the inadequate number of veterinarians.

Data from the GVMA indicate that Ghana graduates about 85 veterinary doctors annually from the University of Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

The risks

Indeed, the shortage of veterinary experts could have dire implications and affect the country’s health system due to the threat of ever-increasing zoonotic diseases among humans.

For instance, avian influenza (Bird Flu) is an ongoing concern across the country, with repeated poultry outbreaks since 2007 leading to bird losses and requiring strict biosecurity.

In late 2024, the country reported its first human avian influenza case, a mild infection in a child at the border with Burkina Faso – highlighting zoonotic risks.

Ghana faces significant zoonotic disease threats on its boarders, with key priorities including Rabies, Anthrax, Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (Ebola, Lassa, Yellow Fever and Marburg virus).

The rest include Avian Influenza, Zoonotic Tuberculosis and Trypanosomiasis, driven by close human-animal contact from livestock farming, bushmeat consumption and wildlife interaction.