Shortage of doctors affecting livestock

Nalgonda: The acute shortage of veterinary doctors and other staff and shortage of medicines is badly affecting the live stock in the district.

There are 155 veterinary hospitals including one district veterinary hospital, 13 taluka level veterinary hospitals, 128 mandal veterinary hospitals and 141 village veterinary hospitals in the district.

As many as 215 posts, including that of one deputy director, nine assistant directors, 26 veterinary assistant surgeons, three veterinary livestock officers, 26 junior veterinary officers, 38 live stock assistants, 41 veterinary assistants and 71 attender have been vacant.

Without the doctors, the lower level staff like veterinary assistant and compounders are discharging the duties of the doctors at veterinary hospitals.

At some places, the people were resorting to traditional methods of treatment to cure the diseases of their cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep and other live stock.

As per the officials figures, there are 1,29,85,327 live stock including 4,98,249 cows, 7,90,063 buffaloes, 19,05139 goats and 5,33,700 sheep in the district.

Besides the doctors’ shortage, lack of medicine is also showing its severe impact in the district.

Rythu Kooli Sangam leader K Komaraiah lamented that their livestock were dying without veterinary doctors and lack of medicines, causing them financial loss. He demanded that the State government should fill up all vacant posts in animal husbandry department in the districicines immediately.

By Pillalamarri Srinivas