Veterinarians: At the Frontline of Food Safety and Public Health

Credit By: DR KHADIM HUSSAIN DAR , DR MOHAMMAD IRFAN SHAH

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25 Apr 2026

World Veterinary Day is not just a celebration; it is a reminder that veterinarians serve passionately as silent sentinels of society, working tirelessly behind the scenes

World Veterinary Day (WVD) is observed annually on the last Saturday of April, with a different theme each year. Established by the World Veterinary Association (WVA) in 2000, the day commemorates the multifaceted role veterinarians play in animal and public health. This year WVD will be celebrated on 25^th April with the theme “Veterinarians: Guardians of Food and Health", highlighting their important contributions to food safety, public health, and the overall well-being of society.

Veterinary professionals are responsible not only for treating sick animal creatures but also for safeguarding the global food supply chain. Through specialized education and training in management, animal health and food hygiene, they play a central role in ensuring the safety of foods of animal origin. From farms to food processing facilities, veterinarians ensure that food products are safe, nutritious, and free from disease.

Veterinarians manage animal health by diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases, including production-related illnesses, thereby improving productivity and enhancing the quality of animal products. They monitor livestock for infectious diseases, such as foot and mouth disease, brucellosis, and avian influenza.

Veterinary professionals play a central role in ensuring the responsible and prudent use of biological products and veterinary drugs, including antimicrobials, in livestock. This helps to reduce the risk of developing antimicrobial resistance and unsafe levels of veterinary drug residues in foods of animal origin. Veterinarians ensure that animals slaughtered for food are healthy through inspection of live animals (ante-mortem) and the carcasses (post-mortem). They also advise farmers and industries on maintaining cleanliness and preventing contamination.

Veterinarians are essential stakeholders in the One Health approach, which emphasizes the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health. The majority of diseases that affect humans originate in animals (known as zoonotic diseases), such as rabies, brucellosis, tuberculosis, and influenza.

Around 75% of emerging infectious diseases in humans are of animal origin. Veterinarians can detect these pathogens at the animal-human interface and prevent their spillover into human populations.

Veterinarians play a crucial role in ensuring animal welfare by advocating for the humane treatment of animals. They contribute to environmental protection through the management of waste from animal farms and the promotion of the sustainable use of natural resources.

Veterinarians serve as educators, capacity builders, and change agents in their communities. Veterinarians provide hands-on training to farmers on biosecurity, nutritional management, reproductive health, and early disease detection. Empowered farmers are better equipped to manage their herds and contribute to stable food systems.

With one of the largest livestock populations in the world, India depends heavily on veterinary services for sustainable development and food security. Nearly 70% of rural households depend on animals for income, food, and security. Veterinarians directly contribute to the economic well-being of farmers by improving livestock productivity and reducing losses due to disease.

In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, veterinarians play a vital role in strengthening the rural economy. They enhance livestock productivity by improving germplasm, protecting animal health, responding to disease outbreaks, and implementing various UT and central government developmental schemes at the grassroots level.

World Veterinary Day is not just a celebration; it is a reminder that veterinarians serve passionately as silent sentinels of society, working tirelessly behind the scenes. It underscores the urgent need to raise public awareness about their indispensable role.

Strengthening veterinary services, particularly with respect to infrastructure and thus investing in this profession, is crucial for ensuring food security, economic stability, and public health, as well as for achieving the Viksit Bharat vision of the Prime Minister by 2047.

(The authors are Veterinarians and can be reached at: drkhadim23@gmail.com and irfanshah642@gmail.com)