Northern Ireland vets have been stepping up their campaign to protect access to veterinary medicines after December 2025, when it is estimated that the supply of up to 30% of veterinary medicines will be affected, impacting all veterinary sectors in NI.
A broadly supported motion has been passed in the Stormont Assembly acknowledging the deep concern around obtaining veterinary medicines after 2025 and NIVA has welcomed the efforts that are being made by the DAERA Minister to find a solution.
Northern Ireland Veterinary Association Honorary Secretary Mark Little has played a key role in raising NIVA’s concerns on this issue since it came to light, and NIVA continues to emphasise the critical need to maintain the improving trends in anti-microbial usage, particularly through adequate access to antibiotics, anthelmintics and vaccines.
NIVA has welcomed the UK government’s commitment to re-establishing the Veterinary Medicines Working Group and is encouraging the reconvening of the group at the earliest opportunity, with a view to positive and constructive engagement with the EU Commission.
NIVA has also called for sufficient resources to be made available to livestock health schemes in NI, to allow a long overdue focus on endemic diseases such as bovine TB, in part through acting on the scientific recommendations of the TB Strategic Partnership Group. Proven steps to help eradicate bovine TB have been demonstrated in other jurisdictions and the fact that NI is lagging behind is resulting in costs in terms of animal, production and associated environmental losses. The effects on the mental wellbeing of farmers, and the financial stability and viability of their farms have been highly significant, and these impacts have a marked knock-on effect for vets working in a range of capacities with farmers.
NIVA wishes to see aggregated benefits that could result from tackling animal diseases at the multi-farm or regional level: vets in NI recognise the need for a specific animal health and welfare strategy that will include sheep health and are willing to collaborate with DAERA in its development of such.
In a workstream being taken forward by Senior Vice-President Esther Skelly-Smith, NIVA will shortly publish its top priorities for equine welfare in Northern Ireland, which will call for important changes.
NIVA has also been active at UK level, representing the concerns and giving input on the issues affecting Northern Ireland’s veterinarians into the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeon’s consultations on governance, and contributing to the British Veterinary Association’s responses to the Competition and Marketing Authority’s investigations into the
NIVA President Sharon Verner stated, “NIVA’s Council, representing veterinary surgeons from across the profession, recognises that our investment in working together for the highest standards and reputation of animal health and welfare is also an investment in human and environmental health. We will continue to work hard and to collaborate with decision makers to make a difference for animal health and welfare in the livestock, equine and companion animal sectors locally.”