Distinguished Seniors, Esteemed Professional Colleagues, and Fellow Veterinarians,
The veterinary profession remains paramount in advancing the livestock sector, which serves as a vital backbone of Nepal’s national economy. Our veterinary professionals continue to play a pioneering and vanguard role across multifaceted domains, including food and nutrition security, poverty alleviation, employment generation, the promotion of public health and biosecurity, wildlife and biodiversity conservation, animal welfare, and scientific research.
The Nepal Veterinary Council (NVC) was established under the 'Nepal Veterinary Council Act, 2055 (1999)' with the statutory objective of regulating, dignifying, and scientifically mobilizing the veterinary profession in Nepal, while ensuring the qualification, competence, and formal registration of veterinary practitioners.
Since its inception, the Council has remained fully committed to executing its legally mandated responsibilities. To fortify the quality of veterinary education, the Council sets and regulates the minimum national standards for academic institutions. Furthermore, it fulfills the critical responsibility of evaluating and validating the equivalence and certification of veterinary degrees acquired from foreign institutions. With a view to assuring the highest standards of professional competence, the Council successfully instituted a computer-based Licensing Examination system in 2074 B.S. (2017/18), ensuring that only highly qualified professionals enter the national veterinary workforce.
In addition, the Council has enacted and strictly enforced a comprehensive Professional Code of Conduct for veterinary practitioners. The Council remains resolute in upholding the integrity and credibility of the profession by initiating legal action against any non-compliance under prevailing laws. Concurrently, the Council bears the significant responsibility of organizing Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programs to enhance the capacity of practicing veterinarians, while serving as a key advisory body to the Government of Nepal on policy and technical matters related to animal health and veterinary public health.
In alignment with the dynamics of the 21st century and to elevate Nepalese veterinary medicine to international benchmarks, the Council is dedicated to actively strengthening its role as a National Statutory Body. We are committed to rendering our regulatory framework more effective, progressive, and technologically driven, in strict adherence to the 'Day One Competency' framework envisioned by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
On behalf of the Nepal Veterinary Council and in my personal capacity, I extend a cordial invitation to all veterinarians and relevant stakeholders to engage in constructive, innovative, and creative collaboration to further dignify this profession and solidify its contribution to the national economy. The doors of the Council remain perpetually open to your valuable insights, guidance, and constructive feedback. Expressing my highest reverence to our distinguished seniors whose monumental contributions have brought the Council to its present stature, I reaffirm my unwavering commitment to working tirelessly toward the advancement and prestige of our noble profession.
Thank you.
Dr. Hem Raj Awasthi
President
Nepal Veterinary Council