Veterinary surgeon shortage 'poses threat to public health'
'Shameful' shortage of care experts on farms due to city's lack of a training school may lead to rise in animal-related diseases, experts say
A severe shortage of veterinary surgeons in Hong Kong is hitting farmers and posing a threat to public health.
The crisis has been caused by a lack of veterinary training in the city and the fact that more than 90 per cent of the 400-plus vets practising in Hong Kong care for household pets.
The issue has emerged at a time when the World Health Organisation (WHO) is warning of a mounting threat to humans from animal-related diseases.
Veterinarian and infectious disease specialist Howard Wong Kai-hay said: "Hong Kong may be one of the few places in the world where we raise livestock and produce meat without [the supervision of] veterinarians.
"That is pretty shameful ... especially when we require meat from other countries to meet high standards."
Wong, who is City University's life science programmes director, said Hong Kong sat in a part of Asia where many diseases emerged and needed more animal care experts and academic research on the topic. "We are way behind time," he added.
