Dean’s word

Yemen is the cradle of civilizations and urbanization, of which agriculture has been the main pillar. The Yemeni man built dams and water reservoirs since ancient times to secure stability and survival. Twinned with agriculture, Yemenis have been interested in raising, taking care of and using livestock to secure their needs of food, clothing and fieldwork. Animal husbandry has been associated with caring for veterinary   health, and sick animals, so Yemenis used herbs from the local environment for these purposes. Throughout the Yemeni civilization, the Yemeni farmer has developed great agricultural experience in both botany and veterinary parts.

Yemen has been subjected to fierce attacks and invasions throughout its history, and the Yemenis’ dependence on agriculture to secure their needs was the strongest factor that helped them resist invaders and occupiers. History always repeats itself!  The current Saudi, UAE and American aggression against Yemeni land and people is another attempt to destroy all the life-support elements in Yemen, especially agriculture, which has been proved to be the main pillar of steadfastness and resistance. such a brutal aggression has targeted everything that could have a role in the resistance and steadfastness of Yemenis. Livestock has been targeted and destroyed in several ways, including the direct bombing and the blockage of animal feed and fuel necessary for such an important sector.

Veterinarians, today, are responsible for the health of both humans and animals altogether. They are also responsible for the safe production of animal products that includes the production of safe food, free of pathogens and residual effect of medicines and antibiotics. Therefore, the community health depends on the qualified veterinary cadre, who must be able to carry out their responsibility of protecting society from diseases and ensuring the health and safety of food. Preserving and breeding livestock is dependent on the successful monitoring and controlling of epidemics and/or diseases among animals, in order to secure adequate food for the whole community. All these responsibilities are shouldered by veterinarians, who shall be qualified very well during their university study in order to successfully shoulder the previously mentioned responsibilities.

Shortage of veterinary cadres in Yemen in terms of quantity and quality comes as a result of marginalizing and degrading of the veterinary profession by the previous regimes, which led to students’ reluctance to join this major. However, Mr. Abdulmalik Badruddin Al-Houthi has devoted substantial parts of his Ramadan speeches to stress on the importance of this major and the necessity of encouraging students to enroll in this scientific program. In translation of his keen directives, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine has been inaugurated by Sana’a University in October 2019, as the first independent faculty of veterinary medicine in Yemen. It aims to contribute to supplying the local and regional markets with qualified veterinary cadres who are able to assume their responsibilities in the husbandry and protection of livestock, in addition to ensuring the safety of animal products throughout Yemen.

We ask Allah, the Almighty, to provide us with help and success to serve our society and ensure its health and safety.