Veterinarians protested, demand immediate sheep pox vaccination and resumed sample processing

Veterinarians held a protest today demanding immediate action on laboratory sampling, timely payment for field work and urgent vaccination against sheep pox, after a meeting with the director of the national Food and Veterinary Agency.

Key demands and immediate steps

Authorities announced that the process for taking samples for laboratory testing of small and large livestock has been unblocked and that payments for already performed veterinary activities will be processed according to existing programmes. The announcement followed the demonstration and talks between vets and agency officials.

"During this week, the Food and Veterinary Agency and the Laboratory should sign an annex to the contract and start issuing samples for health protection," said Zarko Mihajlovski, president of the Veterinary Chamber of North Macedonia.

Livestock owners backed the veterinarians and urged the authorities to begin vaccination against sheep pox immediately, saying vaccines have already been procured and that any further delay will create additional problems.

"The shepherds are waiting for their sheep to lamb, and according to the regulations in the last weeks of pregnancy vaccines cannot be given because they are harmful," said Naser Dzemaili, a shepherd.

Veterinarians stressed they remain active on the field and asked for higher funds for animal health protection, noting that next year’s allocations for veterinary societies were reduced threefold. "We demand corrections to the prices of veterinary services of public interest, timely payment and reduction of VAT for veterinary services," requested Nikola Simovski, a representative of veterinarians. They also called for professional respect and for a review of the current financing and laboratory diagnostics model, proposing that veterinary societies be included in some diagnostic activities.

Photo: press material from the event